France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and several other European countries have said that Europe must be involved in any future negotiations on Ukraine's fate. At the same time, they stressed that only a fair agreement with security guarantees could ensure lasting peace, writes the Guardian.
"Ukraine and Europe must be involved in any negotiations," said a joint statement issued by the seven European countries and the European Commission after a meeting of foreign ministers in Paris.
"Ukraine must receive strong security guarantees. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine is a prerequisite for strong transatlantic security," the statement said.
The European countries stressed that they look forward to discussing the issue with US allies.
The meeting took place after US President Donald Trump said that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that the two were ready to start talks to end the war in Ukraine immediately.
According to the Guardian, these developments have caused serious concern in Europe. According to European leaders, Trump and Putin seem to be negotiating the future of the continent's security without European involvement.
"There can be no just and lasting peace in Ukraine without the participation of Europeans," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Baron said at a meeting in Paris. Representatives of France, the UK, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, and the European Commission attended the meeting.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Álvarez Bueno stressed that no decision on Ukraine can be made "without Ukraine" and that EU countries must speak with a united voice.
"We want peace in Ukraine, but we want the unjust war to end with a just peace," Álbares Bueno said.
During the meeting, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski noted that "continued cooperation with the United States" was among the issues under discussion.
"The best guarantee of the security of our continent remains close transatlantic cooperation," Sikorski added.
