EU demands a seat at table for Ukraine talks
Photo: Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski (Getty Images)
Europe must take part in peace negotiations on Ukraine, as it finances a significant portion of the country’s defense against Russia, according to a statement by Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Bloomberg reports.
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"It’s getting a little strange. We pay for the war and we don’t even always have the full information," Sikorski said.
According to Radosław Sikorski, EU countries have already spent over €200 billion supporting Ukraine and have pledged an additional €90 billion. This is enough to fund its defense for roughly another two years.
He emphasized that Europe is spending "real money," including on purchasing US weapons for Kyiv, and therefore has the right to a say in setting the terms of any potential settlement.
His statement comes amid intensified US efforts to end the war. Meanwhile, the most recent talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine took place without European participation, raising concerns within the EU.
Sikorski also rejected Moscow’s claims of inevitable victory. In his view, Ukraine is inflicting significant losses on Russia, while the Kremlin is depleting resources needed to sustain its war economy. He noted that Russia has still not fully captured the Donbas region.
At the same time, the minister called on Europe to strengthen its own defense amid fears that the US might reduce its military presence on the continent.
"Europe should get serious," he concluded.
Restoring contacts with Russia?
Recently, Europe has begun discussing the restoration of contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In particular, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the possibility of such contact "in the coming weeks."
Following this, the president’s chief diplomatic adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, visited Moscow, where he held confidential meetings with representatives of the Russian leadership.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also stated that the EU is always ready to negotiate with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. However, he rejected the idea of "parallel channels" of communication.
Next round of negotiations
Meanwhile, on the morning of February 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov announced that the next round of trilateral talks will take place on February 17–18.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already approved the composition of Ukraine’s delegation for negotiations with Russia, which will be held in Geneva on February 17–18. The Russian delegation, meanwhile, will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Vladimir Putin, who has previously headed Russian delegations in talks with Ukraine.
