Europe pushes for Ukraine role in Trump-Putin talks
The two leaders will meet in the US state of Alaska Friday to try to resolve the three-year war, but the European Union has insisted that Kyiv and European powers should be part of any deal to end the conflict.
The idea of a US-Russia meeting without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has raised concerns that a deal would require Kyiv to cede swaths of territory, which the EU has rejected.
EU foreign ministers will discuss the talks in a meeting by video link on Monday, joined by their Ukrainian counterpart.
"The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine," leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Britain and Finland and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement, urging Trump to put more pressure on Russia.
In a flurry of diplomacy, Zelensky held calls with 13 counterparts over three days including Kyiv's main backers Germany, Britain and France.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday he hoped and assumed that Zelensky would attend the leaders' summit.
Leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries -- Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden -- also said no decisions should be taken without Kyiv's involvement.
Talks on ending the war could only take place during a ceasefire, they added in a joint statement.
Asked on CNN on Sunday if Zelensky could be present, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker responded: "Yes, I certainly think it's possible."
"Certainly, there can't be a deal that everybody that's involved in it doesn't agree to. And, I mean, obviously, it's a high priority to get this war to end."
Whitaker said the decision would ultimately be Trump's to make, and there was no word Sunday from the White House.
- 'Testing Putin' -
Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said any deal between the United States and Russia to end the war in Ukraine had to include Kyiv and the bloc.
"President Trump is right that Russia has to end its war against Ukraine," Kallas said in a statement Sunday.
"The US has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously. Any deal between the US and Russia must have Ukraine and the EU included, for it is a matter of Ukraine's and the whole of Europe's security," she added.
"I will convene an extraordinary meeting of the EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss our next steps."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga will also take part in the Monday afternoon meeting, the ministry said.
NATO chief Mark Rutte told ABC's "This Week" broadcast on Sunday that Trump was "putting pressure on Putin".
"Next Friday will be important because it will be about testing Putin, how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end," he added.
Ukraine's military said on Sunday it had taken back a village in the Sumy region from the Russian army, which has made significant recent gains.
The village is on the frontline in the north of the country and about 20 kilometres west of the main fighting between the two armies in the northern region.
- A 'just peace' -
As a prerequisite to any peace settlement, Moscow has demanded Kyiv pull its forces out of the regions and commit to being a neutral state, shun US and EU military support and be excluded from joining NATO.
Kyiv said it would never recognise Russian control over its sovereign territory, though it acknowledged that getting land captured by Russia back would have to come through diplomacy, not on the battlefield.
The EU's Kallas backed Kyiv's position on Sunday.
"As we work towards a sustainable and just peace, international law is clear: All temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine," the EU foreign policy chief said.
NATO's Rutte said it was a reality that "Russia is controlling some of Ukrainian territory" and suggested a future deal could acknowledge this.
"When it comes to acknowledging, for example, maybe in a future deal, that Russia is controlling, de facto, factually, some of the territory of Ukraine. It has to be effectual recognition and not a political de jure recognition," Rutte told ABC.
Zelensky thanked those countries backing Ukraine's position in his Sunday evening address.
"The war must be ended as soon as possible with a fair peace," he said. "A fair peace is needed.
"Clear support for the fact that everything concerning Ukraine must be decided with Ukraine's participation. Just as it should be with every other independent state."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
South Africa offers US a revised trade deal and seeks to diversify exports
Minister Parks Tau said the US's 30% tariff on exports has necessitated a balanced response between renegotiation, trade diversification and protection from an import surge. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G) The cabinet has approved a revised trade offer to the United States, which last week put into effect a damaging 30% tariff on local exports, the trade, industry and competition minister, Parks Tau, said on Tuesday. The offer, presented to US representatives on 9 August, remains under wraps until it is formally put before US leaders, Tau told a joint briefing with the department of agriculture. South Africa has 'I can't speak about the offer yet as it needs to be presented to US representatives first. But it substantively responds to the issues the US raised in its 2025 national trade estimates report,' Tau said. South Africa is one of numerous countries slapped with tariffs, which The US is South Africa's third-largest trading partner after the European Union and China, but South Africa ranks only 43rd on the list of US importers, accounting for just 0.25% of that country's total imports. Agriculture makes up about 4% of South Africa's exports to the US, worth R9.8 billion ($537 million) and up 104% since 2018. 'Our goal is to demonstrate that South African exports do not pose a threat to US industries and that our trade relationship is, in fact, complementary,' Tau said. The government says the tariffs will The proposed revised agreement addresses sanitary and phytosanitary measures that had hampered US poultry, blueberry and pork imports. Poultry from that country has now been granted access under a conditional self-ban and self-lifting system, allowing the US to take advantage of the 72 000-tonne tariff rate quota agreed in 2016. 'Consequently, the USA-Africa Trade Desk has informed us that it will be shipping containers of poultry and pork to South Africa in two weeks' time, which is testimony that these issues have been resolved,' said Tau. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen stressed that 'Given the exchange rate and our high-quality production, the US gets a very good deal from South African agriculture,' he said. 'It would be a shame if these excellent products couldn't land in those markets.' Steenhuisen added that avocados from Limpopo can still compete in the US despite a stiff tariff hike, and that some citrus earmarked for the US could be redirected to the EU. He said a non-disclosure agreement signed with the US limited what details could be provided about the revised framework deal but said the trade offer by South Africa was 'a broad, generous and open offer' which meets 'the ambition criteria'. 'If one was to look at this through a trade and tariff perspective, I think this offer represents something that would be good for the United States and something that would be good for South Africa,' he added. The government has also contacted more than 54 South African exporters through the export support desk to update them on negotiations, clarify tariffs, explain the economic response package and 'Since being operational, thus far 23 companies have used the Export Support Desk and were accordingly assisted,' Tau said. These interventions were designed to absorb the tariff shock and protect jobs and build long-term resilience. He said he could not yet provide the monetary value of the support because discussions were ongoing. Both ministers stressed that diversification is not plan B, with Tau saying the 'We are pursuing these markets because we see growing demand, existing negotiations and a positive reception to South African products. This is not just about trade numbers; it is directly linked to job protection,' Tau said. 'We do also, in agriculture, see the African continent as a huge opportunity for us to start improving the trade we do, particularly the wine sector has identified Africa as a growth market,' Steeinhuisen added. Diversification is a part of the sugar master plan to export biofuels and presents an opportunity for power stations to be repurposed to process the country's competitive advantage in biofuels, Steeinhusien said. 'It is one of the issues we are working with the sugar sector to move towards. And I think we will need to fast-track the overarching regulatory and legislative platform to finally allow that particular sector to go through,' he said. The government is also negotiating trade deals with Brazil and India — which were slapped with 50% tariffs respectively — as well as Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and countries in the Middle East. 'In terms of diversification, China is a huge opportunity for South Africa — a 1.6 billion population — that's a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of demand for our agricultural products,' said Steenhuisen. He said China usually negotiates one product at a time but has now made a deal for five — stone fruits, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and prunes. The deal will be concluded on the sidelines of the G20 Agriculture engagement group in September. 'The next mission thereafter is cherries and mangoes and we are already advanced in terms of negotiations there,' said Steenhuisen. Tau highlighted that the US tariffs affect more than 130 trading partners, which means products blocked from the US market will flood elsewhere, creating harmful overcapacity in global markets for steel, glass, agricultural products, solar and vehicles. To counter this, South Africa will implement anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard measures to protect domestic industries.
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
US and China extend tariff truce to November, averting escalation
President Trump signed an executive order on 11 August 2025, extending the US-China tariff truce by 90 days. The move delays a planned hike to 145% tariffs on Chinese goods and 125% on US exports. Both countries will maintain current rates of 30% for US tariffs and 10% for China until November 10. The White House cited the need to 'remedy trade imbalances' and 'preserve economic stability' during peak retail season. The extension follows bilateral negotiations held in Stockholm on 28-29 July 2025, under the Geneva Joint Statement framework. Delegates agreed to suspend 24% of additional ad valorem duties and ease non-tariff barriers. China committed to lifting certain export controls and suspending its 'unreliable entity' list restrictions. US officials confirmed the truce would allow time to address national security concerns and rare earth access. TECH EXPORTS AND OIL PURCHASES REMAIN STICKING POINTS Despite the truce, unresolved issues persist, including China's purchases of Russian oil and US tech export restrictions. Nvidia and AMD agreed to pay 15% of China-related AI chip revenues to the US government to retain export licences. Beijing has reportedly urged firms to avoid Nvidia's H20 chip, citing national security risks. Analysts warn that unresolved tensions, including tech export controls and oil purchases, could complicate or delay future trade negotiations, especially given that the tariff truce is set to expire in early November 2025. A summit between Trump and Xi Jinping is expected in late October, likely on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The expected Trump–Xi summit may advance negotiations on industrial subsidies, market access, and reciprocal tariffs, but no final trade deal has been confirmed.' Experts say the truce extension stabilises markets and signals diplomatic intent but warn that deeper structural issues remain unresolved. Analysts say the move 'boosts short-term confidence among importers and manufacturers,' particularly in sectors exposed to tariff volatility and supply chain disruptions. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
US tariffs: SA sends new proposal but no changes to laws
The new offer sent by South Africa responds to the issues the US previously raised. South Africa sent off its new proposal to avoid the US tariff of 30% on goods from South Africa exported to the US, but the country is not planning to change the laws that seem to be on the US president's agenda. Parks Tau, minister of trade, industry and competition, said at a press conference on Tuesday that since the 30% unilateral tariff imposed by the US which came into force on 7 August, government has been working on a response anchored on five key elements: continued engagement with the United States to secure a deal and reduce the tariffs; diversification of exports to alternate markets; an economic response package to vulnerable companies and workers; trade defence against import surge and dumping; and demand side interventions. He said regarding continued engagement with the US, cabinet approved that South Africa submits a revised offer as a basis for negotiations. The new offer builds on the previous offer submitted in May and substantively responds to the issues the US raised in the 2025 National Trade Estimates Report. ALSO READ: BEE left out of US trade talks – Minister Lamola SA on top of sanitary measures Tau pointed out that South Africa already addressed sanitary and phytosanitary measures in compliance with the bio-security protocols for: Poultry: South Africa granted market access under the conditional self-ban and self-lifting system to ensure that the US can leverage the tariff rate quota of 72 000 tons already agreed to in 2016; Blueberries: South Africa granted market access for states that are free of fruit fly and agreed to mitigation measures with those states with fruit fly; and Pork: which is open subject to the bio-security requirements. 'Consequently, the USA-Africa Trade Desk informed us that it will be shipping containers of poultry and pork to South Africa in two weeks' time, which is testimony that these issues have been resolved.' Another significant request from the US was that South Africa consider reducing tariffs as a way to address the deficit and tariff disparity with the European Union due to the SADC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement. Tau said South Africa continues consultations with industry and in this regard, in consultation with other members of the Southern African Customs Union, will identify specific lines to respond to this request.' ALSO READ: Government must actively manage fallout from US tariffs with trade crisis committee – BLSA Cabinet endorsed economic response package to US tariffs Cabinet also endorsed the economic response package that includes: The establishment of an export support desk, which will serve as a direct point of contact for affected companies. Tau said, so far, it has helped 23 companies. In addition, the department also initiated meetings with more than 54 South African exporters to the US, focusing on updates on the negotiations, clarifications on tariffs, elements of an economic response package and issues linked to market diversification. Measures to assist companies to absorb the tariff and facilitate long-term resilience and growth strategies to protect jobs and productive capacity in South Africa. A localisation support fund (LSF) for affected companies to contribute to the national effort. The Export and Competitiveness Support Programme (ECSP), which will include a working capital facility and plant and equipment facility to address short to medium term needs across all industries. Working with the department of employment and labour on measures to mitigate potential job losses, using existing instruments within its entities that can be adjusted to respond to the current challenges. After consultations with the Competition Commission, a block exemption for exporters was introduced to enable collaboration and coordination among competitors. A draft block exemption will be published by the end of the week to conclude the process as fast as possible. Information will be available on the department's website. ALSO READ: South Africa has to cast its trade net wider Finding alternative export markets About finding alternate export markets, Tau said the new US tariff on South Africa's exports is a significant policy shift that necessitates a clear and decisive response. 'South Africa accelerated its diversification efforts of export markets and enhanced competitiveness to mitigate the economic impact of losing preferential trade access. 'The diversification is a strategic imperative to ensure our economy is more resilient to economic shocks. This is not a plan B but a plan A for long-term resilience and competitiveness. 'We are committed to strengthening our relationships, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area, to build regional resilience. We will also continue the work we started with our European partners towards enhancing our trade and investment relations in a manner that unlocks sustainable growth and development and entrenches South Africa in new supply chains.' He added that government is also looking at Asia, including Japan, Vietnam and Thailand, the Middle East and India. 'We are pursuing these markets because we see growing demand, existing negotiations and a positive reception to South African products. 'This is not just about trade numbers but directly linked to job protection. Diversification is about protecting rural livelihoods and sustainable agricultural growth for our people.' ALSO READ: 'It's just gone' – Trump's tariffs cost SA company R750m overnight High-level negotiation team ready to talk about US tariffs A high-level negotiation team, including the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Department of Agriculture, has been identified to engage the US, Tau says. 'Our goal is to demonstrate that South African exports do not pose a threat to US industries and that our trade relationship is in fact complementary. 'While the US is our third largest trading partner after the EU and China, South Africa is the 43rd export destination for the United States and accounts for 0.25% of total US imports and therefore not a threat to US production. 'In addition, the US market accounts for about 4% of our total agriculture exports, or R9.8 billion ($537 million) of our total agricultural exports, an increase of 104% from 2018.' Turning to protecting domestic industry against import surge and dumping, Tau pointed out the unilateral US tariffs do not only apply to South Africa. The US tariffs also affect over 130 trading partners and many of the US orders that now face prohibitive restrictions will seek other 'outlets', he said. 'In addition, chronic overcapacity observed in the world markets for key product markets like steel, glass, subsidised agricultural products, solar and automotive vehicles will make this search incessantly harmful for our domestic industry.' ALSO READ: US tariff an existential threat for a third of metals and engineering sector SA ready to protect its industry, Tau says 'Therefore, South Africa stands ready to make use of its trade remedy measures to safeguard and protect its industry, within the prevailing agreements of the World Trade Organisation. This will involve the consideration and use of anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard measures to protect the domestic industry which may be affected by trade deflection and/or diversion.' Speaking about demand side interventions to leverage the buying power of local consumers, private sector and government, Tau said Proudly South Africa will intensify outreach with corporates and retailers through its online store and Market Access Platform (MAP) procurement tool targeted at the private sector to support increased domestic sales of products, with future export capability of the online platform to be used to assist with export market diversification.
