Nato allies insist Ukraine and Europe must not be cut out of peace talks

Several Nato allies have stressed that Ukraine and Europe must not be cut out of any peace negotiations as US defence secretary Pete Hegseth denied that the US is betraying the war-ravaged country.
European governments are reeling after the Trump administration signalled that it is planning face-to-face talks with Russia on ending the Ukraine war without involving them, insisted that Kyiv should not join Nato, and said that it is up to Europe to protect itself and Ukraine from whatever Russia might do next.
“For me, it’s clear… that Europe must be involved in the negotiations — and I think that’s very easy to understand,” German defence minister Boris Pistorius said as Nato’s 32 defence ministers met for talks on Ukraine in Brussels on Thursday.
Europe, he said, “will have to live directly” with the consequences, so “it goes without saying that we must be part of the negotiations”.
Betrayed
Mr Hegseth denied that the US has betrayed Ukraine by launching negotiations about its future without Kyiv’s full involvement.
After talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and then Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would “probably” meet in person with the Russian leader in the near term, possibly in Saudi Arabia.
“There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world and the United States is invested and interested in peace. A negotiated peace,” Mr Hegesth told reporters.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed surprise that Mr Hegseth and Mr Trump had listed what appeared to be concessions to Russia even before talks have begun in earnest.
“We shouldn’t take anything off the table before the negotiations have even started, because it plays to Russia’s court,” she said.
“Why are we giving them everything that they want even before the negotiations have been started? It’s appeasement. It has never worked.”
‘Wake up call’
Mr Hegseth warned that the war in Ukraine must “be a wake up call” for Nato’s European allies to spend more on their own defence budgets.
Twenty-three of the 32 member countries were forecast to have met the organisation’s guideline of spending 2% of gross domestic product on their national defence budgets last year, but a third still do not.
But Mr Hegseth’s French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, described the wrangling over greater defence spending as “a false debate,” saying that governments and parliaments across Europe are already approving more weapons purchases and bigger military budgets while helping Ukraine stave off an invasion.
Mr Lecornu warned that the future of Nato itself is now in question.
“To say that it’s the biggest and most robust alliance in history is true, historically speaking. But the real question is will that still be the case in 10 or 15 years,” he said, after the US — by far Nato’s biggest and most powerful member — signalled that its security priorities lie elsewhere, including in Asia.
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, who was chairing Thursday’s meeting, said that whatever agreement is struck between Russia and Ukraine, it is crucial that the “peace deal is enduring, that Putin knows that this is the end, that he can never again try to capture a piece of Ukraine”.
‘Engaged’
Touting Europe’s investment in Ukraine, Swedish defense minister Pal Jonson said European nations provided about 60% of the military support to Kyiv last year and must be involved, especially given US demands that Europe take more responsibility for Ukraine’s security in the longer term.
“It’s very natural that we’re engaged into the discussions,” Mr Jonson said.
His Estonian counterpart, Hanno Pevkur, underlined that the European Union has driven sanctions against Russia, has invested heavily in Ukraine’s defence, and will be asked to foot the bill for rebuilding the war-ravaged country.
“We have to be there. So there is no question about it. Otherwise this peace will not be long lasting,” Mr Pevkur warned.
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Check out hesgeth’s background and past comments on Russia. Never qualified for his job but for trump . And trump don’t care for Ukrainian people, only his image. Putin cracking the Champaign and revising other land grab plans today.
Wonder the dynamic with trump and putin, see that picture from the Helsinki conference, trumps demeanour to putin was “yes boss”.
Trump’s comments to Putin will only serve to embolden his aim to restore those countries that used to be part of The USSR back under his control. THAT, is his one and only aim!!
Trump is rising very quickly to be a far more serious Dictator and threat to world peace than Putin he will sell Ukraine up the river Trump and his mega unelected Billionaires like Musk are all very Dangerous
I despise almost everything Trump stands for, but if he manages to end 25 years of centrist wars, he’ll have done more good in the world than any other US president in my lifetime.
I despise everything trump stands for. This is par for the course for trump, Putin invaded Ukraine, trump is on record for saying this is a war Ukraine should not have got in. In effect Trump is saying Ukraine should have rolled over to a murderous dictator.
This is not going to end well, there are many nations in that area that are seriously concerned they are next, the US was an imperfect bulwark to some of this, now trump is telling putin, go get it.
The US is now a threat to many nations in the world.
Is that why Trump withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal, and is now threatening to invade his neighbours, and take over Gaza? Oh yeah the world will be much peaceful with Trump back in power.
Granted the US is guilty of a lot of things, but if Trump and Musk are able to undermine American democracy then there will be even more wars and tensions. Look up the Democratic Peace Theory
I’m no fan of Putin, but this pointless war—one we’re losing—needs to end sooner rather than later. Russia and North Korea aren’t democracies, so no matter how many body bags come home, it won’t change anything. The West must navigate the minefield of public opinion carefully. Before this horrific and unnecessary war began, the German president proposed a referendum in Ukraine’s predominantly Russian-speaking regions. It was rejected outright by Ukraine and Western leaders. Yet, in the end, the war will likely conclude along similar lines—only with nearly a million young lives lost in the process. When the Soviet Union was… Read more »
Putin can do what trumps dad should have done and pull out.
One person invaded, now the US president is helping him.
Quote: “Before this horrific and unnecessary war began, the German president proposed a referendum in Ukraine’s predominantly Russian-speaking regions. It was rejected outright by Ukraine and Western leaders. Yet, in the end, the war will likely conclude along similar lines—only with nearly a million young lives lost in the process.” Would Russia tolerate a foreign power intervening in Chechnya along similar lines? Quote: “When the Soviet Union was a superpower, would America have allowed it to park its tanks in its sphere of influence? Absolutely not—just look at the Cuban Missile Crisis.” Thats what happens when you do not respect… Read more »
The issue here is what kind of precedence this is going to set regarding international relations? The UN Charter specifically states that member states must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states. This charter was established after WW2 to ensure peace, granted it is not always adhered to but the more states are allowed to violate it the more this charter is undermined. Ukrainian sovereignty therefore must be upheld irrespective of what happens within its boundaries. The same thing with Iraq, Saddam Hussein may have been a brutal dictator but the US had no right to intervene. War… Read more »
How can you discuss peace between two parties when one of them is not involved in the discussion?
Now trump is saying he trusts Putin and wants him back in the G7.
trump is bought and payed for
Or an idiot.
Or both.
Probably both..