The Ministers of Defense of the NATO They have claimed this Thursday that Ukraine is part of the peace negotiations announced by the US president, Donald Trumpafter a call with the Russian president, Vladimir Putinto start a “immediate” process to end the conflict in Ukraine, a process in which Europe must also play paper.
The announcement of imminent conversations about Ukraine has shaken the appointment of Allied Defense Ministers in Brussels, after, on the eve, in the first meeting with the new US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseththis will advance that the Trump administration It does not consider “realistic” some of Ukraine’s demandssuch as their adhesion to NATO or return to the borders of 2014, for a negotiated exit to a war that is about to turn three years.
In statements prior to the meeting, the NATO general secretary, Mark Ruttehas insisted that all NATO members want peace in Ukraine “sooner rather than later” and Everyone wants to put kyiv in the “best possible position” to ensure a successful result to conversations.
The former Dutch prime minister has influenced that The result of the conversations must be “lasting” and a ‘Minsk 3 cannot be lived‘And that Putin returns to take Ukrainian territory in the future, in reference to Minsk’s pacts that closed the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
After the political earthquake caused by Trump’s announcement, Rutte has focused on pointing out that Yes there is convergence between allies that peace in Ukraine is “lasting” and a “good result” is achieved in conversations. He has also removed iron that the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, was notified only after the call with the Kremlin, pointing out that he was included in the contacts and that “it is crucial” that is involved in the conversations about Ukraine.
Has also excused reluctance expressed by Washington about kyiv’s adhesion to NATO ensuring that now it is time to concentrate on “the big issues”, in which the negotiations begin and there is an agreement “that does not fall apart”.
Criticism of Trump’s parameters
For their part, several allied defense ministers have expressed their caution on the negotiations announced by the White House. On the side of France, the Minister of Defense, Sébastien Lecornu, has criticized that the parameters placed on the table by Trump “They do not allow a peace by force, but the opposite of a peace for weakness”warning that this threatens to extend the conflict and send a bad signal to the “competitors” in the international arena.
While his German counterpart, Boris PistoriusNor has it manifested optimistic about possible negotiations, ensuring that “No one was really involved” before Putin and Trump’s call.
Faced with this, the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has come to the event denying that Washington is betraying Ukraine by launching peace negotiations with Russia. “There is no betrayal. There is a recognition that the entire world and the United States are interested in peace, a negotiated peace,” he stressed, without delving into the concessions of the White House to the Kremlin.
Europe wants to be part of the peace negotiations
The majority consensus of the allied defense ministers is that “There can be no negotiation without Ukraine”as the head of British Defense, John Healey, who has claimed that “the voice of Ukraine must be in the heart of any conversation,” has synthesized.
The objective must be a “lasting” peace and that war does not return to Ukrainian territory, Healy has deepened. “We must not forget that Russia will continue to be a threat beyond Ukraine”he has warned.
For Canada it is “essential” that Ukraine is part of the negotiations. “We have to help them be in the best position to achieve a fair and lasting peace,” said Defense Minister Bill Blair, who stressed that Russian aggression is “illegal” and must have an “answer.” “We will continue to support Ukraine until we find a peaceful solution to the conflict, Ukraine has to be in charge of discussions,” he summarized.
To this, his Swedish colleague, Pal Jonson, added that The “natural” is that Europeans are also present in peace negotiationsafter emphasizing that Europe contributes 60% of the aid to Ukraine against Russian aggression.
The head of the Netherlands bouquet, Ruben Brekelmanshas insisted that Zelenski has to be at any table in which the future of Ukraine is negotiated. “There can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine and the same is true for Europe, because what is negotiated has implications for Europe and that is why you must sit at the table,” he claimed, defending a “peace through force” and to keep the unity of the allies.
“Europe has to be part of this negotiations, it is not something that is questionable. Otherwise it will not be the lasting peace we want to see, “said Estonio Minister Hanno Pevkur, on the same line, while defending the role of the EU to apply sanctions to Russia, integrate kyiv into the block and Provide military and financial aid against Russian aggression.
Likewise, Pevkur has indicated that It must be the Ukrainians who decide when to enter peace conversations and its parameters must be taken into account for the process that is launched with Moscow.
The Minister of Defense of Lithuania, Dovile Sakalienehe has insisted that he is in the hands of Europeans “stay aside or meet expectations” to fight for Ukraine and for his own freedom. Thus he has warned that the continent has to raise its military weight and arms production to defend against future threats, pointing out that if it does not work as a group in favor of democracy, the darkest times will approach.
In this sense, he has warned of the “Mortal trap” of thinking that Putin and Trump will resolve the safety of European alliesso he has claimed that the situation is a call of attention and Europe takes over his defense and decides on the situation in the European continent.
