European leaders on Sunday, August 10th pushed for Ukraine to be a part of negotiations between the United States and Russia, ahead of talks between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
The idea of a U.S.-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. Zelensky held calls with 13 counterparts over three days including Kyiv’s main backers Germany, the UK and France.
EU foreign ministers will discuss the talks in a meeting by video link on Monday, joined by the Ukrainian president.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday he hoped and assumed that Zelensky would attend the leaders’ summit.
Leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries also said no decisions should be taken without Kyiv’s involvement.
Asked on CNN on Sunday if Zelensky could be present, U.S. 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,” he added.
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 U.S. has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously. Any deal between the U.S. 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, and said
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.
