Meeting in Switzerland
Trump surprised Europeans with his "peace plan" and put Ukraine under pressure. Negotiations are now to take place in Switzerland. Possible compromises and Europe's role in them are completely unclear.
High-ranking representatives from the US and Ukraine are scheduled to meet in Switzerland in the coming days for negotiations on US President Donald Trump's so-called peace plan. As announced on social media by the head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, the talks will focus on"the possible parameters of a future peace agreement." According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Moscow will also participate.
Ukraine is entering this process with a"clear understanding of its interests," Umerov continued. These negotiations will continue the dialogue of recent days."We appreciate the commitment of the American side and its willingness to engage in substantive discussion," Umerov said.
An earlier version of the statement also mentioned the involvement of European partners. Umerov changed the text without giving a reason.
Zelenskyy appoints delegation
Shortly before, President Zelenskyy had signed a decree forming a negotiating delegation led by his close confidant Andriy Yermak. The nine-member delegation also includes the head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov. According to the decree,"representatives of the Russian Federation" will also participate in the talks. There has been no confirmation of this from Moscow so far. Nor has there been any confirmation from the US side.
Yesterday, Trump significantly increased the pressure on Ukraine, giving Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to essentially accept the plan presented by the US. Zelenskyy rejected the US plan in its current form yesterday and announced that he would present"alternatives" to the proposal. The plan contains a total of 28 points and would demand a great deal from Ukraine, including significant territorial concessions.
Allies consult on the sidelines of the G20 summit
The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is also the top issue at the G20 summit in South Africa – even though Trump is boycotting the meeting. At the start of the meeting of the major economies, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz consulted with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the US plan. The Europeans were not involved in drafting the plan, but have been trying to exert influence since its announcement.
Further talks on Ukraine are scheduled for this afternoon. An EU representative said that leading politicians from Canada, Japan, and Australia would also be involved to"discuss the next steps in Ukraine." Another EU diplomat explained: "We are working to make the US plan more feasible based on previous discussions."
Europeans emphasize closeness to Ukraine
British Prime Minister Starmer questioned Russia's reliability."There is only one country at the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire – and only one country that uses a barrage of drones and missiles to destroy lives and kill innocent civilians," Starmer said in a statement released before the start of the summit. Russia repeatedly claims to be serious about peace, but its words are never followed by action.
Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while"Russia is blocking progress and continuing its murderous rampage." Therefore, everyone—both the US and Ukraine—must work together to finally secure a just and lasting peace."But we cannot simply wait for peace—we must mobilize all our forces to secure it," Starmer declared.
Merz, together with Macron, Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had declared on Friday regarding the US initiative that any agreement affecting European states, the European Union or NATO requires"the approval of the European partners or a consensus of the allies".
