After an announcement of a meeting between Trump and Putin, Europe says peace cannot be decided without Ukraine

Trump and Putin will meet in the coming days a group of European leaders said on Saturday (9) that “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” after being left out of negotiations scheduled to take place next week between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. “Ukraine has the freedom of choice about its own destination. Significant negotiations can only occur in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities,” said the rulers. The document was signed by Emmanuel Macron (France), Giorgia Meloni (Italy), Friedrich Merz (Germany), Donald Tusk (Poland), Keir Strmer (UK), Ursula Von Der Leyer (European Commission) and Alexander Stubb (Finland). On Saturday morning, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized on social networks the announcement of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin – of which he was not invited. The heads of state reaffirmed their support to Ukraine in the statement. “We are convinced that only one approach that combines active diplomacy, support for Ukraine and pressure on the Russian Federation to end its illegal war can succeed,” said the letter. The leaders “greeted President Trump’s work to prevent killing in Ukraine, ending Russia’s war of aggression and achieving peace and safety fair and lasting to Ukraine.” But in addition to diplomacy, heads of state have ensured maintaining “military and noun support to Ukraine”, as well as “defending and imposing restrictive measures against Russia.” “We share the conviction that a diplomatic solution should protect vital interests of security from Ukraine and Europe,” said the leaders’ statement. “We reiterate that the unlawful and illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a blatant violation of the United Nations Letter, the final minutes of Helsinki, the Memorandum of Budapest and the successive Russian commitments. We underline our unwavering commitment to sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” The document ends with the reaffirmation that Europe continues next to Ukraine. “We are united as Europeans and determined to jointly promote our interests. And we will continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and the United States of America, and President Zelensky and the Ukraine people, for peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests.” Encounter with the USA on Saturday morning, British Foreign Minister David Lammy and US Vice President Jd Vance met with Ukrainian and European allies in Great Britain to discuss President Donald Trump’s initiative for peace in Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesman said. British Prime Minister Keir Strmer has spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the morning, the spokesman said. “They agreed that this would be a vital forum to discuss progress towards the guarantee of just and lasting peace,” said the spokesman. Stmerer and Zelensky discussed the proposals of US President Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine before his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, which will take place next Friday (15) in Alaska. “The prime minister talked to President Zelensky of Ukraine this morning. They anticipated the meeting of the National Security Councilors of Europe, Ukraine and the United States, which will take place today, organized by the United Kingdom Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the US Vice President,” said the spokesman. Trump announced the meeting with Trump in a post on the Truth Social network this Friday (8). The meeting between the two had already been confirmed earlier by Trump after Kremlin revealed that the two would meet soon. According to the American newspaper “Wall Street Journal”, they will discuss the proposal presented by Putin, who asks Ukraine to East in exchange for the end of the war. Trump and Putin during the G20 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 30, 2018 Reuters/Marcos Brindicci

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