EU leaders gear up for high-stakes talks with Trump’s envoy on Ukraine’s future

European Council President António Costa is set to meet US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, on February 18.

The meeting, scheduled for 10:00, will also include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The talks come after Kellogg stated on February 15 that European nations would not have "a seat at the table" in negotiations over Ukraine’s future but could have their views considered. His remarks followed a US request for European countries to outline what weapons, funding, and peacekeeping forces they could contribute to a post-conflict Ukraine.

Costa pushed back against Kellogg’s stance, arguing that the war in Ukraine is not just about Ukraine but about European security. “Of course, it’s necessary to negotiate between Ukraine and Russia,” he said. “But this war in Ukraine is not only about Ukraine. It is about European security.”

He cited Russia’s threat to the Baltic States—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—along with Moscow’s military presence in Moldova and Georgia as key reasons for Europe’s inclusion in the talks. “Russia is clearly a threat to Baltic sovereignty, to our eastern border,” Costa warned.

Meanwhile, NATO chief Mark Rutte suggested that Europe must take a more proactive role if it wants a seat at the table. “I was a little bit taken back by the European reaction,” he said at the Munich Security Conference. “If you want a place at the table, make sure you come up with relevant proposals. Make sure you spend more. . . particularly when it comes to Ukraine.”

The high-level meeting on February 18 is expected to focus on Europe’s role in post-war Ukraine, security concerns, and military commitments.

By Aghakazim Guliyev