Ukraine and Europe worry about being sidelined as Trump remains persistent to go ahead with direct talks with Moscow to discuss an end to Russia's war in Ukraine,
Euronews reports.
US President Donald Trump’s approach to ending Russia's almost three-year-long war against Ukraine has left European allies and officials in Kyiv concerned they are being sidelined by the new US administration's peace plans.
Trump is sending US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian counterparts, according to a US official who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity.
It’s unclear to what extent Ukrainian or European officials will be represented in discussions expected to take place in Riyadh in the coming days. Rubio says the US sees these talks as early stage and a chance to see how serious the Kremlin is about peace.
In a bid to ease tensions, Rubio also said on Sunday that Ukraine and Europe would be part of any “real negotiations” to end Moscow’s war, downplaying European concerns of being cut out of the initial talks between Russia and the US.
In an exchange with reporters Sunday, Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “will be involved” in the negotiations. Trump offered no further explanation.
The outreach comes after comments by top Trump advisers this past week, including Vice President JD Vance, raised new concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that the Republican administration is intent on quick resolution to the conflict with minimum input from Europe.
“Decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending,” Zelenskyy said in an address Saturday at the Munich Security Conference. “From now on, things will be different, and Europe needs to adjust to that.”
White House officials on Sunday pushed back against the notion that Europe has been left out of the conversation. Trump spoke by phone in recent days with French President Emmanuel Macron and is expected to consult with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week.
