The longstanding issue between Russia and Ukraine is still deteriorating the situation in Europe in general and the world in particular. This issue is causing shivering in the power corridors of Europe in general and the world in particular. In this regard, this conflict started on 24 February 2022, when Putin announced a full-fledged war on Ukraine.
Till now, both countries have destroyed their infrastructure and lives under slow-motion aggression. In such a scenario, United States President Donald Trump claimed himself a ”peace-maker.” During the election campaign, he pledged to the people that he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Less than a week after 20th January, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On the other hand, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has repeatedly ruled out accepting a peace deal negotiated without Ukraine. On Sunday, he told US television network NBC that he would “never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine, never.”
During his interview with CBS News, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that one peace talks meeting could not solve war and that a formal negotiating process—that would mediate between Ukraine, Russia, and third parties—had not yet been set up. He added that the next few days will determine whether Putin is serious about achieving peace.
The Special Envoy of the Trump administration for Ukraine, Gen. Keith Kellogg, addressed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He emphasized the United States’ expectation for future European deterrence and defense partnership with European governments on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Today I addressed @NATO North Atlantic Council. I emphasized U.S. expectations for future European deterrence and defense + our partnership with European gov’ts on ending the Russia-Ukraine war. We thank @SecGenNATO Rutte for advancing more robust Europe-led security initiatives pic.twitter.com/bVsq35shgE
— Gen. Keith Kellogg (@SPE_Kellogg) February 17, 2025
In this sense, European leaders are interested in solving the Russia-Ukraine conflict; Ukrainian President Zelenskyy talked long with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the global situation, the state of affairs in Europe, and security guarantees for Ukraine.
I just had a long conversation with President of France @EmmanuelMacron following his meeting today with other European leaders to discuss the global situation, the state of affairs in Europe, and security guarantees for Ukraine.
We share a common vision: security guarantees…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 17, 2025
In this case, another emergency meeting will be held in Paris on the 21st of February, at which several European leaders will present their agenda to solve the Russia-Ukraine war. The leaders are the UK’s Keir Starmer, Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz, and the European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen.
During his visit to the United Arab Emirates, Zelenskyy told the media, ”Ukraine will not participate in peace talks that are going to be held in Saudi Arabia.”
Additionally, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also stated that the United Kingdom will support and provide security guarantees to Ukraine, “by putting our troops to the ground if necessary.”
Similarly, on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Trump declared last week that I had a ”lengthy and productive phone call” with Vladimir Putin. The call ended a three-year freeze on direct contact between Moscow and Washington.
In this phone call, Trump also said that joining Ukraine into NATO, as a part of member it is unlikely to enter, could return to its 2014 pre-invasion borders. Ukraine wants to join NATO and says it won’t give up any land to make peace.
Ukrainian officials are not participating in these peace talks in Riyadh, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are in a high-level meeting. In this negotiation meeting, the talks have primarily focused on the “Ukraine solution.”
