US‑Russia talks spark hope for Ukraine peace, Europe sidelined
The United States and Russia are beginning to thaw their relations, while Europe watches helplessly as the two superpowers negotiate the terms of a future agreement to end the war in Ukraine, comments "La Vanguardia".
On Tuesday, the eyes of the world turned to Riyadh, where representatives from the United States and Russia met to discuss terms to end the war in Ukraine preliminarily.
Russia and the US act independently
Europe, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced, will have a place at the negotiating table at a later time because to end the conflict, there must be concessions from all sides.
"On the eve of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe watches helplessly as the US and Russia negotiate the terms of a future peace agreement in Ukraine independently," comments the Catalan daily "La Vanguardia."
According to La Vanguardia, the Trump administration aims to resolve the conflict quickly. One option is to return occupied territories to Russia and reintegrate them into the global system.
The newspaper suggests that all signs point to Putin's primary objective being resolving the crisis, rebuilding relations, and restructuring the security system while keeping Ukraine within Russia's geopolitical sphere. This would imply the absence of foreign troops, limitations on Ukraine's military, and restrictions on its full sovereignty.
The daily notes show that the Trump administration's previous steps "appealed" to the Kremlin. Russia is counting on territorial gains and a new economic opening, including lifting sanctions and returning Western companies to the Russian market.
The meeting of European leaders in Paris showed that the EU can demonstrate unity in the face of disregard from the US. However, Europe remains divided on the issue of sending troops to Ukraine. "La Vanguardia" emphasizes that the EU's weakness on this matter puts it behind the United States.
