Poland demands a seat at the table in future Ukraine peace talks
Photo: Donald Tusk (Getty Images)
Any negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine must take place with Poland’s mandatory participation. Ideas of a rapid dialogue with Russia are risky, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Reuters reports.
According to the Polish leader, Warsaw is dissatisfied with the E3 negotiation format, which includes only the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. This format excludes other European allies of Ukraine.
Tusk noted that he discussed the issue with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is also not enthusiastic about this approach. He stressed that any decisions or agreements made without Warsaw’s participation would not be binding for Poland.
"I'm... very cautious regarding the ideas emerging in Western Europe about initiating some kind of dialogue or conversation with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin regarding Ukraine as quickly as possible," Tusk said.
At the same time, the Polish Prime Minister announced that a broader meeting dedicated to Ukraine will take place in the coming days. It is planned that representatives of Poland and Italy will join the leaders of the UK, France, and Germany.
It is noted that the absence of the Polish Prime Minister from talks in London raised concerns in Warsaw that Poland is being sidelined amid efforts to push Kyiv into negotiations with Moscow.
Meanwhile, European leaders say they are ready to play a key role in negotiations to end Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. In Berlin, officials emphasized that the process will take place in close coordination with the United States.
In addition, on June 7, a meeting took place in London between the leaders of the UK, France, and Germany and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which five conditions for achieving peace were outlined.
These include an immediate ceasefire, using the current front line as a starting point for negotiations, providing security guarantees for Ukraine, using frozen Russian assets for compensation, and launching direct Ukraine–Russia dialogue with the participation of the US and EU.
