EU urged to join Ukraine peace talks amidst rising tensions
The European Union will need to participate in discussions to end the conflict in Ukraine, announced U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He believes that the negotiations should consider the interests of Ukraine, Russia, and the European Union.
At a press conference following discussions with Russian officials in Riyadh, Rubio emphasized that since the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia, its participation in future negotiations is necessary.
"Rubio said that the European Union, which had been sidelined from Tuesday’s talks, would 'have to be at the table at some point,' because they have sanctioned Russia over its war in Ukraine," reported CNN. Secretary Rubio simultaneously dismissed suggestions that Europe had been excluded from the negotiations, emphasizing that the outcome must be "fair, enduring, sustainable and acceptable."
The U.S. speeds up talks but consults allies
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz noted that the United States is in daily consultations with both Ukraine and its allies. However, he stressed that Washington intends to act swiftly to bring the conflict to an end.
– The goal is to bring an end to this conflict in a way that’s fair, enduring, sustainable and acceptable to all parties involved – summarized Rubio.
In the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, the first high-level meeting between delegations from the United States and Russia took place on Tuesday since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The talks focused on rebuilding bilateral relations and preparing for possible peace discussions concerning Ukraine.
Neither Ukraine nor the European Union received an invitation to these talks, which caused outrage in both Kyiv and most European capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that he would not recognize the outcome of the talks in Riyadh, as any negotiations regarding Ukraine are futile without Ukraine's involvement.
