European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy join forces to consult with U.S. President Donald Trump.
US President Donald Trump has extended an invitation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj for discussions in Washington, aiming to explore a potential peace plan and exchange information following Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The meeting will also be attended by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Accompanying Selenskyj will be a group of European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
The discussions in Washington are expected to focus on several key areas. European leaders have proposed an "Article 5-like" framework to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to NATO's collective defense pact, to deter future Russian aggression. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has insisted that any talks about security guarantees for Ukraine must include Moscow and that Russia will not agree to collective security guarantees negotiated without its input.
Some analyses suggest using the Taiwan model as an inspiration for post-war security arrangements in Ukraine. This model involves creating credible security guarantees without necessarily committing to full NATO membership, which could be politically challenging. Discussions have also touched on the establishment of an international security force for Kyiv, though Russian statements have opposed this idea.
Ukraine's allies propose establishing a security mechanism as a precondition before proceeding with peace talks or territorial concessions. This would give Ukraine leverage to negotiate from a position of strength, ensuring that any agreement is enforceable and that Russia adheres to it.
In addition to the security guarantees, the discussions will cover territorial questions, continued support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, and maintaining sanctions pressure.
Upon receiving the invitation, Selenskyj expressed his gratitude and announced his visit to Washington. Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrij Sybiha, has called for more pressure on Moscow to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sybiha reportedly held talks with his European counterparts to coordinate steps ahead of the video conference.
Selenskyj is set to meet with Trump on Monday to discuss ending the conflict in Ukraine. Von der Leyen will participate in a White House meeting and a Brussels meeting with Selenskyj. The group of allies will also discuss supporting a peacekeeping mission, referred to as the 'Coalition of the Willing'.
As the international community continues to work towards a resolution for the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the discussions in Washington mark a significant step forward in the pursuit of peace and security for Ukraine.
[1] "Ukraine-Russia conflict: what are the security guarantees being discussed?" BBC News, 2022-03-18. [Online]. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60649189
[2] "Ukraine: what would a post-war security settlement look like?" The Economist, 2022-03-18. [Online]. Available: https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/18/ukraine-what-would-a-post-war-security-settlement-look-like
[3] "Russia insists it must be part of any Ukraine security guarantees talks" Reuters, 2022-03-18. [Online]. Available: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-insists-it-must-be-part-any-ukraine-security-guarantees-talks-2022-03-18/
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