The German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has stated that both Ukraine and Europe must be included in peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, following discussions between the US president and the Russian president about the ongoing conflict.
“It’s essential that Ukraine is part of the discussions. The stability of peace in Europe is at stake, which is why we Europeans must be actively involved,” Ms. Baerbock expressed in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio.
Her remarks follow US President Donald Trump’s statement that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conveyed their desire for peace during separate phone calls with him, as Trump directed senior US officials to initiate talks aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine.
The discussions took place after Trump’s defense secretary mentioned earlier that Ukraine might need to abandon its longstanding ambitions of joining the NATO alliance and recovering all of its territory lost to Russia, indicating a significant shift in the United States’ stance on the conflict.
Donald Trump spoke to Vladimir Putin for more than an hour yesterday
“He wants it to end. He doesn’t want to wrap this up only to start fighting again six months later,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
“I believe we’re moving towards peace. President Putin wants peace, President Zelensky wants peace, and I want peace. My priority is to see that no more lives are lost,” he added.
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Trump has consistently claimed that he could swiftly bring an end to the war in Ukraine, although he has not specified how he would achieve this.
The Kremlin announced that Putin and Trump had agreed to a meeting, with Putin extending an invitation to Trump to visit Russia. Trump remarked that their first meeting would “probably” happen soon in Saudi Arabia.
In a post on his social media platform, he announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would spearhead discussions to end the conflict.
Trump and Zelensky spoke after Trump’s call with Putin, and Zelensky’s office mentioned that their conversation lasted about an hour.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s office indicated the discussion with Donald Trump lasted approximately an hour.
“I had a productive conversation with Donald Trump. We… explored various avenues for achieving peace, discussed our willingness to collaborate… and addressed Ukraine’s technological capabilities… including drones and other advanced industries,” Zelensky posted on X.
No peace talks regarding Ukraine have taken place since the early days of the conflict, which is now nearing its third anniversary. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, provided billions in military and other aid to Ukraine and maintained no direct contact with Putin since Russia’s invasion.
Russia currently occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine and has insisted that Ukraine must relinquish more territory and agree to become permanently neutral as a part of any peace settlement.
Ukraine, on the other hand, demands that Russia withdraw from the territories it has seized and insists on receiving NATO membership or equivalent security assurances to prevent further Russian aggression.
Read more: Pentagon Chief says returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is ‘unrealistic’
‘Illusionary goal’
Earlier yesterday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the new administration’s starkest declaration regarding its approach to the war, stating that it was unrealistic for Ukraine to expect to recover all its territory taken by Russia since 2014, as well as to secure NATO membership.
“We, like you, desire a sovereign and thriving Ukraine. However, we must first acknowledge that reverting to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unattainable goal,” Hegseth informed a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. “Pursuing this illusionary objective will only prolong the conflict and exacerbate suffering.”
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, which Ukraine and many Western nations consider occupied Ukrainian land.
Hegseth asserted that any lasting peace must come with “strong security guarantees to ensure that the war will not reignite.” However, he clarified that US troops would not be deployed to Ukraine as part of such guarantees.
Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the European Union released a joint statement asserting that Ukraine’s future should not be determined without the active participation of Ukraine. They expressed their readiness to bolster support for Ukraine and enhance its position of strength.
Zelensky, seeking to maintain Trump’s interest in supporting Ukraine, has recently proposed a deal wherein the United States would invest in mineral resources in Ukraine.
Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that such a mineral arrangement could act as a “security shield” for Ukraine following the end of hostilities.
Additionally, Trump mentioned that Rubio and Vice President JD Vance would engage in discussions in Munich, where Ukrainian officials are anticipated to attend an annual security conference.
Elsewhere, China has floated a proposal for a summit between Putin and Trump to help facilitate an end to the war in Ukraine, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, which cited sources familiar with the discussions.
In recent weeks, Chinese officials have approached the Trump team through intermediaries with a proposal for a summit between the two leaders to aid in peacekeeping initiatives.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
