EU fears Trump will hold peace talks on Ukraine without their participation - Euractiv
European states have expressed concern about the possibility of holding US peace talks on Ukraine without their participation.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by Euractiv.
According to the publication, the EU seeks to maintain its role in the negotiations, which may concern both territorial and security issues. On the eve of Trump's inauguration, the EU is facing an important task - to secure its place in the future negotiation process.
Major EU countries support Ukraine's position, emphasizing that it should not be pushed to a ceasefire on terms that could harm its interests.
"Ukrainians should have realistic discussions on territorial issues, and only they can do that. Europeans must build security guarantees," Emmanuel Macron said.
However, there are fears that Trump, who has previously stated that he could end the war in 24 hours, will favor bilateral talks with Putin, ignoring the interests of Europe. According to Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Mihal, the United States must exert an important influence to convince Russia to sit down at the negotiating table.
It is noted that Trump also clarified that a more realistic goal is to achieve a result within six months, and his representative in Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, expects progress within 100 days.
European diplomats are trying to avoid a situation where the talks are limited to a format similar to the Minsk agreements, which many consider ineffective. They insist on the EU's involvement in the negotiation process as an institution, as the EU is the largest donor and coordinator of aid to Ukraine.
The EU's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, noted that the EU is ready to take on a leadership role if the United States refuses to do so.
In the context of these developments, Poland, which strongly supports Ukraine, could become a key player in creating a European coalition in support of Kyiv, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk could be an important figure in this strategy.
In addition, there is the issue of involving countries such as China, India, and Brazil, but their participation may lead to decisions that are less favorable for Ukraine.
"Europeans should clearly understand their goals at the negotiating table. Not just to be present, but to have an action plan," said Marie Dumoulin, Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Earlier, CNN reported that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia could take place in the first half of 2025.
