The United States made it clear to the European leaders that the European Union should participate in any peace talks against Ukraine, since Russia requires the withdrawal of sanctions imposed by the EU. This was reported by Bloomberg correspondents with reference to sources familiar with the course of negotiations.
The US side seeks to reassure its European allies, who have previously feared that Washington could conclude an agreement with Russia without EU involvement, which potentially threatens the security of Ukraine and all of Europe.
US President Donald Trump largely excluded the EU, considering their presence optional. However, now the situation has changed.
At the G7 summit in Canada, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a statement that clearly hints at the Washington approach.
“The European Union has imposed significant sanctions on the Russian Federation and individuals within Russia. Therefore, they will need to consult, they will need to be involved in this process and so on. So let's not define in advance or start the events, ”Rubio said.
Earlier it was reported that Russia requires the withdrawal of sanctions as part of any peace agreement. This means that the EU, as a key participant in the introduction of economic restrictions, should be directly involved in negotiations.
The United States, for their part, emphasize that the first task is to cease hostilities, and the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine can be considered after reaching a temporary peace.
