Europe has to fight its way to the negotiating table with good proposals - Rutte
Photo: Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
European countries must actively propose their own solutions in potential peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, rather than merely questioning their participation, says NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in his speech at the Munich Security Conference.
"Let me absolutely assure you that I know that many European countries are already thinking that if there would be a peace deal with Ukraine, what could you contribute? And I was a bit surprised that when the news of the phone calls and also what happened to the defense ministers meeting in Brussels came out, their reaction was a little bit like, hey, we want to be at the table and why are we not at the table, instead of coming up with concrete proposals," Rutte said.
He is convinced that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia must begin in any case - whether at the negotiating table, virtually, or in any other format. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be a part of these negotiations.
"And Europe has to fight its way to the table by being relevant in terms of spending and also good proposals. And of course, they have thought about it. But I do not know now what the outcome of those peace talks will be because they have not even started," the Secretary General stated.
Negotiations on Ukraine
European countries have expressed concerns about possibly being sidelined in the negotiation process regarding Ukraine, as reported by Western media. EU representatives emphasize the importance of Europe’s participation in peace efforts, especially in light of Donald Trump's statements about the possible involvement of European peacekeepers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also stressed that Europe's role in the negotiations is critical to achieving a just peace.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, stated that he does not see Europe among the participants in negotiations to resolve the war in Ukraine. However, he also noted that he does not want to exclude any party from the peace process.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, on the other hand, emphasized that Europe must urgently develop its own action plan regarding Ukraine and its security. Otherwise, key decisions will be made by other players.
