Europe excluded from Ukraine peace talks, US envoy asserts

The United States has confirmed that Europe will not be included in peace talks for Ukraine, as US Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, made clear during a security conference in Munich.

Kellogg’s statement came after Washington sent a questionnaire to European capitals, seeking information on what European nations could contribute to security guarantees for Kyiv, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Kellogg’s remark follows recent developments in which US President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin without consulting European allies or Ukraine, declaring an immediate start to peace negotiations. The decision has raised concerns among European nations, who fear being sidelined in discussions that could have significant implications for their own security.

At the Munich Security Conference, Kellogg explained that the US would act as the intermediary in the peace talks, with Ukraine and Russia as the primary parties involved. He was asked about the potential involvement of European nations in the negotiations and responded, “I'm (from) a school of realism. I think that's not gonna happen.”

Despite this exclusion, Kellogg attempted to reassure European allies, saying that their interests would still be taken into account during the process. “Their interests are not considered, used or developed,” Kellogg stated later during the conference.

However, European leaders have firmly rejected the idea of being left out of the discussions. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb stated, “There’s no way in which we can have discussions or negotiations about Ukraine, Ukraine’s future or European security structure, without Europeans.” He added that Europe needed to step up, urging, “Europe needs to get its act together. Europe needs to talk less and do more.”

In response to the US questionnaire, which reportedly includes six questions, one specifically directed at EU member states, European officials are now considering their next steps. One diplomat revealed, “The Americans are approaching European capitals and asking how many soldiers they are ready to deploy.”

Meanwhile, France is discussing the possibility of holding an informal meeting among European leaders to address the situation and better coordinate Europe’s approach to Ukraine. However, no official decisions have been made yet, according to a French presidency official.

By Vafa Guliyeva