European states want in on Ukraine peace talks
The Weimar+ group of European countries have demanded to be part of negotiations on the Ukraine conflict agreed on by the US and Russia. In a joint statement released by France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, the UK, the European External Action Service, and the European Commission on Wednesday, the group said lasting peace in Ukraine is a
'necessary condition for a strong transatlantic security.'
The statement came shortly after reports emerged that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, had a phone conversation. Following the call, Trump said the two leaders agreed to have their teams begin negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict
'immediately,'
in a post on his Truth Social platform.
'Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations,'
the Weimar+ group said in the statement following the call, adding that Kiev
'should be provided with strong security guarantees'
in any settlement. They insisted that the
'shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength.'
'We share the goal to keep supporting Ukraine until a just, comprehensive and lasting peace is reached. A peace that guarantees the interest of Ukraine and our own,'
the statement read, adding that the
'security of the European continent is our common responsibility.'
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Trump 'OK' with keeping Ukraine out of NATO
It is currently unclear when the negotiations will begin. In a statement following the call between Trump and Putin, the Kremlin indicated that Moscow is ready to start the peace process, but said it is necessary to eliminate the root causes of the conflict. Moscow is firmly opposed to Ukraine's NATO aspirations, which it considers to be among the reasons for the escalation of the conflict in early 2022, insisting that any settlement must include Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification.
Trump said he also had a phone conversation with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky immediately after his call with Putin. According to Trump, Zelensky is eager to put an end to the hostilities and that he,
'like President Putin, wants to make PEACE.'
The US president said that he and Zelensky set up a meeting between the Ukrainian delegation, and US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Friday in Munich, calling it a first step in the peace process. In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky confirmed that he had a phone call with Trump, describing it as
'very substantive.'
READ MORE:
Putin and Trump agree on Ukraine talks: As it happened
Speaking to reporters at the White House later on Wednesday, Trump
said
he plans to meet with Putin in the
'not so distant future,'
naming Saudi Arabia as a potential host for the meeting. He also indicated that several meetings with Putin could take place in the coming months, confirming that the two leaders agreed to
'work together, very closely, including visiting each other's nations.'
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