The European Union is concerned that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may begin direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine, excluding Europeans from the process, according to Euractiv.
European leaders say they want to be sure of their participation in the negotiations, but they believe they may only be given a symbolic place at the table. At the moment, there is no clear plan for the format of the negotiations, but changes could occur after the first meeting of EU foreign ministers on January 27, immediately following Trump’s inauguration.
The European Union, as a key provider and coordinator of aid to Ukraine, believes its participation in future talks is necessary. There has also been discussion about possibly expanding the group of participants, such as including countries like China, India, or Brazil.
However, this could lead to outcomes less favorable for Ukraine, as stated by Marie Dumoulin, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) for issues related to Greater Europe.
