The future of Ukraine will soon be discussed in two locations: in Paris and in Saudi Arabia. While you know who talks to whom in Paris, at the second meeting is only so much clear: there are representatives of the USA and Russia.
After the advance of US President Donald Trump for negotiations on the Ukraine War, France organizes an informal summit meeting of several European countries on Monday. According to the French government, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the heads of Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark as well as EU President António Costa, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and NATO General Secretary Marc Rutte are invited.
At the meeting, the situation in Ukraine and “the challenges for security in Europe” should be advised. The European countries would have to “more and better” ensure their collective security, emphasized a consultant of the French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting in Paris is a reaction to Trump's initiative for discussions about the future of Ukraine.
It depends on “the conditions under which the war can be achieved,” said the presidential advisor. The security interests of Ukraine and Europe would have to be preserved. He referred to “the security guarantees that can be given together or separately by Europeans and Americans”.
Rubio: Europeans involved in “real negotiations”
US President Trump had made a phone call to the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin on Wednesday without coordinating with the Europeans in advance. Afterwards, Trump said that he had agreed with the Kremlin boss an “immediate” start of negotiations on the future of Ukraine. In Western allies, this aroused fear that Ukraine and European partners were excluded from the Ukraine talks.
In an interview by the US broadcaster CBS, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was now also expressed. “If there are real negotiations – we are not yet – but if it comes to this, Ukraine has to be involved because they have been attacked. And Europeans have to be involved because they too have sanctions against Russia and Putin have imposed and because they contributed to these efforts, “said Rubio.
No details of the conversation in Saudi Arabia known
The US foreign minister is currently in Israel. From there he travels to Saudi Arabia, where there should also be discussions about the future of Ukraine – without representatives of Ukraine and its European allies. Rubio wants to meet with representatives of Russia together with the US specialist Steve Witkoff and the national security consultant Mike Waltz in Saudi Arabia. In the interview, Rubio did not say who the Russian delegation will belong and when the meeting should take place.
The US special envoy Witkoff also gave no details but only said, will leave on Sunday evening and have Trump's conversations at the behest. He hoped “some really good progress in relation to Russia and Ukraine”, said Witkoff. He did not name the name of interlocutors.
Macron calls with Saudi crown prince
In Saudi Arabia, however, a delegation from Ukraine also stays – according to the Ukrainian Minister of Economic Affairs Julia Swyrydenko, to prepare a possible visit by President Wolodymyr Selenskyj. She left open whether such a visit in connection with the peace talks announced by the USA stands for Ukraine and when it could take place.
France's President Macron, the host of the summit in Paris, has also made contacts to Saudi Arabia when it comes to Ukraine. He said Macron said with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The topic was the importance of Saudi Arabia in possible peace negotiations – and how the Europeans could play a central role in this.
