The United States has indicated that Europe will not have a seat at the table for the upcoming Ukraine peace talks, according to Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy.
Speaking at a global security conference in Munich, the envoy, Jim Kellogg, bluntly stated: “I’m (from) a school of realism. I think that’s not gonna happen” when asked about European participation.
The news has sparked concerns among European leaders, who have insisted they must be involved in any negotiations that impact their own security.
“There’s no way in which we can have discussions or negotiations about Ukraine, Ukraine’s future or European security structure, without Europeans,” Finland’s President Alexander Stubb told reporters.
The US has taken an increasingly unilateral approach to the Ukraine conflict, with Trump shocking allies by calling Russian President Vladimir Putin without consulting European partners or the Ukrainian government.
Trump administration officials have also made clear that they expect European NATO allies to take primary responsibility for the region, as the US shifts focus to issues like border security and countering China.
This has fueled fears that Europe may be cut out of a peace deal that could significantly impact their interests, particularly if it is seen as too favorable to Russia.
In a sign of the growing tensions, the US has sent a questionnaire to European capitals asking what they could contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine.
“The Americans are approaching European capitals and asking how many soldiers they are ready to deploy,” one European diplomat revealed.
French President Emmanuel Macron is now discussing the possibility of an informal meeting among European leaders to coordinate their response.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also urged Europeans to “get into the debate” and come up with “concrete proposals” rather than just complaining about being excluded.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar English Website)
