EU seeks message to send to the Trump-Putin summit, hoping they read it

Brussels – US President Donald Trump will meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on 15 August in Alaska for the first time during his term as the head of the White House. On the table will be the war unleashed by Moscow in Ukraine, along with other dossiers of interest to the two sides, such as nuclear security, international trade, energy supply, and who knows what other topics of interest the two leaders could share.

The European Union will not be at the meeting, nor will Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. What the two will say to each other will remain, for the most part, a mystery, guarded by the presidents and their interpreters (Putin speaks English well, giving him a tactical advantage over his counterpart during the talks). 

However, the EU does not want to be completely left out,  just outside the door, far away. So, EU diplomacy chief, Kaja Kallas, convened a telephone meeting between the foreign ministers for today. The virtual meeting will serve, first and foremost, to reiterate that any agreement between the US and Russia must include Ukraine and also the EU, “because it is a security issue for Ukraine and the whole of Europe,” said Kallas in a statement.

 “Let us work for a lasting and just peace. International law is clear: all the temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine,” Kallas said, adding that “no agreement must serve as a springboard for a new Russian aggression against Ukraine, the transatlantic alliance and Europe.”

 While most European leaders insist on maintaining pressure on Russia, Zelensky has requested “clear steps” to define a common approach. He would also like to attend the meeting in Alaska, but it currently seems unlikely that his request will be granted.