The Europeans seek to influence the Ukraine talks

With the administration of the US President, Donald Trump, moved towards direct talks with Russian officials on the war in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron called on European leaders to an emergency meeting to discuss how they influence the talks.

The leaders gathered in Paris, the day before yesterday, as they were scrambling for a role in the negotiations that could determine the future of Ukraine and the security scene in Europe, which are progressing quickly without them.

Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Wednesday, and the United States plans to hold talks with Russian officials this week, fuel European fears of marginalizing their defensive interests.

British Prime Minister Kiir Starmer said that he is “ready and Ragheb” to deploy British forces in Ukraine as part of a peace agreement “if necessary”, and his comments in the newspaper “Telegraph” will be pressed on other European leaders to adhere to the provision of forces.

Consensus building

The European Ukraine supporters had been trading, for months, the issue of sending forces in the event of an agreement with Trump’s return, and sought to set the foundation for possible conversations, and the discussions led by France have motivated the recent moves of the Trump administration to start negotiations.

The Macron meeting was attended by the leaders of Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, senior European Union officials, and NATO head of NATO, Mark Retti.

They are trying to build a consensus on plans to support Ukraine with post -war aid and security guarantees, including a potential deployment of European forces, according to officials familiar with the meeting and enhancing their negotiating influence.

It was also discussed how to protect European defensive interests, with Trump’s team clarifying that the Atlantic relationship is changing, according to officials who spoke on the condition that their identity is not disclosed to discuss current diplomatic talks.

Macron’s office stated that “consultations” will focus on Ukraine and “security challenges in Europe.”

The American envoy to the Middle East, Steve Whitchov, told Fox News, earlier, that he hoped to achieve “really good progress” over Russia and Ukraine.

Calm fears

In turn, the French Foreign Minister, Jean Barrow, said: “The winds of unity are blowing on Europe, and we must preserve our calmness and not allow ourselves to go out away, afraid of the statements that we hear from here and there.”

He added: “The Ukrainians alone are the ones who can decide to stop the fighting, and they will not stop until they make sure that the proposed peace will be sustainable.”

“Who will provide guarantees? The Europeans will be, ”indicating that the role of the United States is to bring Putin to the negotiating table.

While European officials seek to participate greater, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine said that there will be no seat on the table. “I am from a realistic school and I think this will not happen,” explained the special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Keith Keel, at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

He sought to calm European fears by saying that “this does not mean that their positions will not be taken into account.”

“The Voice of Europe”

For his part, Ukrainian President Folodimir Zellinski confirmed that he was not invited to the American talks in Riyadh, and told reporters: “The voice of Europe should be at the same level, as the United States.”

He added, “We need this in any case, and in any diplomacy, and in any future, and we must walk side by side with the Europeans,” insisting that there is a need for “Europe’s representation” on “any negotiating table.” On the “Washington Post”

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Sending forces to Ukraine

European countries have hesitated several months, and only a few of them (Britain, France and Sweden) have been expressed so far, its willingness to send forces to Ukraine as part of a peace agreement.

When a basic group of leaders in Brussels met last December, it moved away from any serious discussion about the security guarantees that Europe could offer, and decided that it is better to wait for the new US President Donald Trump to take office and put his plans.

“The Europeans were aware of, but they were in a state of denial,” said Eli Tennabom, director of the Security Studies Center of the French Institute of International Relations.

But there are already discussions behind the scenes about whether this is risky, and instead European officials say that any forces on the ground should serve as a reassurance force stationed away from the potential borders, or that the European forces in Ukraine will take on roles such as training forces Ukrainian.

. Ukrainian President insisted that “Europe’s representation” is needed on “any negotiating table.”