Ukraine and Europe must be consulted on any efforts to stop Russia's encroachment on its neighbor, top European diplomats said Thursday, as reports spread of a US-Russian proposal to end the war at a time when allegations of corruption have rattled Ukraine's government.
Talk of a secret peace plan has increased pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is also organizing his country's defense against Russia's larger military, visiting European leaders to ensure they continue to support Ukraine and negotiating a major corruption scandal involving the energy sector that has sparked public outrage.
“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at the start of a meeting of the 27-nation bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels.
Representatives of EU countries agreed. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful stated that “all negotiations on a ceasefire regarding the further peaceful development of Ukraine can only be discussed and conducted with Ukraine. And Europe will have to be included.”
It is unclear whether the foreign ministers saw the peace plan, which was reportedly drawn up by US and Russian envoys and which was said to include forcing Ukraine to cede territory, a prospect Zelensky has ruled out.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media platform X late Wednesday that U.S. officials “are and will continue to develop a list of potential ideas” for a lasting peace deal that “will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that “there are currently no consultations with the United States on ending the war in Ukraine.” “There are contacts, of course, but there are no processes that could be called consultations,” he told reporters.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he did not know whether the proposal had the blessing of US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
“First of all, we have to find out whether the big boys are really behind this plan or not,” he said. “I've listened to all the rumors (and) we need to really figure out what's going on and what's not.”
European leaders were already alarmed this year by signs that the Trump administration could push them and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aside in its efforts to end the fighting.
EU diplomats have accused Putin of insincerity by saying he wants peace but refusing to compromise in negotiations while backing Russia's brutal war of attrition in Ukraine.
Callas, the EU's top diplomat, rebuked Putin's forces for continuing to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, a day after a strike on the western city of Ternopil left 26 people dead and 93 wounded. About two dozen people are still missing.
Kallas stated that “if Russia really wanted peace, it could … have agreed to an unconditional ceasefire some time ago.”
Trump stopped sending military aid directly to Ukraine, and European countries made up for this weakness by purchasing weapons for Ukraine from the United States. This gave Europe leverage in negotiations to end the conflict.
“We approve of peace efforts, but Europe is the main supporter of Ukraine, and, of course, the security of Europe is at stake. Therefore, we expect that we will be consulted,” said Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
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