Ukraine and Europe Must Be Part of Any Negotiations, EU Foreign Ministers Say in Joint Statement

The foreign ministers of Ukraine, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, and the European Union have issued a statement regarding their participation in upcoming negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The joint statement was published on the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on February 13.

“Our shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength. Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations, ‘ the statement read.

The joint statement of seven countries and the European Commission emphasizes the necessity of security guarantees.

“Ukraine should be provided with strong security guarantees. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine is a necessary condition for a strong transatlantic security,” the statement added.

When asked on February 12 whether any European countries would participate in the peace talks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, “I don’t have any European nations who are involved currently to read out for you.”

On the same day, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that “returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,” as Trump focuses on efforts to end the war.