Munich: The United States has announced that Europe will be left out of upcoming negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
General Keith Kellogg, the top U.S. envoy on Ukraine, confirmed the decision during a global security conference in Munich.
The move follows President Donald Trump’s surprise call to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week, where he announced plans for immediate peace talks without consulting European allies or Kyiv.
The Trump administration has emphasized that Europe should take primary responsibility for regional security, while the U.S. focuses on priorities such as border protection and countering China.
When pressed on whether Europeans would participate in the talks, Kellogg was direct: “The answer to that last question, just as you framed it, is no.” However, he stressed that Ukraine would be involved in the discussions, stating it would be “foolish” to suggest otherwise.
The announcement triggered swift reactions from European leaders. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb insisted that Europe must be part of any talks concerning its security and Ukraine’s future. “Europe needs to get its act together. Europe needs to talk less and do more,” he said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte echoed this sentiment, urging European nations to increase defense spending and present concrete proposals instead of focusing on their exclusion from the talks.
The U.S. has also sought input from European capitals, sending a questionnaire with six questions, including one about troop contributions to Ukraine’s security. According to a European diplomat, the U.S. is asking EU member states how many soldiers they would be willing to deploy.
During his address, Kellogg suggested that peace talks could include discussions on territorial compromises and additional measures to weaken Russia’s oil revenues. He called for stricter enforcement of sanctions against Moscow, emphasizing Russia’s heavy reliance on energy exports.
The developments come shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the creation of a European army, expressing doubts about the reliability of U.S. protection. “We cannot rule out that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,” Zelenskyy warned.
While European countries primarily cooperate on defense through NATO, they have long resisted proposals for a unified European military, citing national sovereignty concerns.
