Paris: European foreign ministers have emphasized that Ukraine’s future must be decided in collaboration with both Kyiv and Europe, following reports that U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to initiate peace talks immediately.
Ministers from Poland, Spain, Germany, France, the UK, and Ukraine gathered in Paris ahead of the upcoming Munich Security Conference to discuss the situation in Ukraine. They stressed that any peace agreement must be negotiated with Ukraine and its European allies.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha underlined Europe’s critical role in securing a fair and lasting peace, stating that Ukraine’s security is inseparable from European security. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski reiterated Poland’s commitment to strengthening military aid to Ukraine and maintaining economic pressure on Russia through sanctions. He also emphasized the necessity of close cooperation with the U.S. while urging Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot echoed this sentiment, asserting that a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved without European involvement.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin and Trump had agreed to arrange an in-person meeting, with Putin expressing readiness to welcome American officials for discussions.
In a separate development, newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth firmly ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO as part of a security arrangement to end the ongoing conflict with Russia.
