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Ukraine: Europeans in Washington with a unified line

Sunday, August 17


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After the summit Trump Putin in Alaska, which did not result in a specific announcement, European leaders are coalescing around the Volodymyr Zelensky and they are accompanying him to the White House tomorrow.

The decision was made at the video conference of the Coalition of the Willing, which focused on the outline of a possible Ukraine-Russia peace agreement.

The Washington meeting, under the Donald Trump , will be the first in this format since the February 2022 invasion. Macron, Merz, Meloni, Starmer, Stubb, Rutte and the von der Leyen have confirmed their participation.

Zelensky spoke about European unity, stating that he does not know details of the Trump-Putin conversation in Alaska and that he is awaiting information.

Trump, in his message to Truth Social , wrote: Great progress regarding Russia. Stay tuned!

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Rubio warned me new sanctions on Moscow if no agreement is reached .

Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff , reported that Russia proceeded to territorial concessions.

I believe Putin does not want peace.

The coalition's video conference was attended by the EU, NATO, Canada and major European countries.

The French president Emmanuel Macron He described the situation as extremely serious, not only for Ukraine but also for Europe, emphasizing that tomorrow's meeting with Trump will determine the next phase of the diplomatic effort.

He emphasized that the goal of European capitals is to present a united front with Ukraine and send a clear message to Moscow: If we show weakness today towards Russia, we are paving the way for future conflicts.

He reiterated that Ukraine's territorial integrity must be respected and that the country must be represented in any discussion about its future. No country can accept the loss of territory., unless it has strong guarantees for the security of its remaining borders, he said, adding that the form and strength of the Ukrainian army are the first pillar in any security system.

He spoke of the need for a new diplomatic phase and pointed out that Europe must be at the table, when decisions are to be made on European issues. He also stressed that for a sustainable peace agreement to be reached, Ukraine needs a strong army and sustained support.

When asked about Moscow's intentions, he answered bluntly: I believe Putin does not want peace. . Concluding, he underlined: If Europe wants to be free and independent, it must be strong and command respect. If we are weak today, tomorrow we will pay a heavy price.

Von der Leyen stressed the importance of strong security guarantees similar to NATO Article 5 .

Trump spoke of wording that would cover Ukraine, beyond the framework of the Alliance.

OR Melon He stated that there would be a collective security clause, including the US, in the event of a new attack.

According to a representative of Commission, the leaders had a positive exchange of views on their coordination before the meeting with Trump.

They discussed the territorial, the need to end the bloodshed, maintaining pressure on Russia through sanctions , the principle that Ukraine decides on its territory and the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe.

Zelensky, in a message from Brussels, thanked the participants in the meeting and spoke of a historic decision that the United States is ready to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine.

As he stressed, the guarantees should be practical, provide protection on land, in the air and at sea, and be shaped with the participation of Europe.

Everyone agrees that state borders should not be changed by force and that key issues should be decided with Ukraine's participation in a trilateral dialogue with the US and the Russian leadership, he said, adding that the goal is a fair, quick and workable peace agreement.

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