EU warns Russia is setting traps in Ukraine peace talks

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned leaders at an EU summit in Dublin against “walking into the traps that Russia is setting,” saying Moscow was trying to start a debate about European security to divert attention from its aggression.

“We have one aggressor and one victim, and the aggressor does not have security concerns,” Kallas said on arrival at the summit. “Nobody has ever attacked them. They have attacked others. I mean, keep the focus, people.”

Russia’s demands and the talks

Russia has revived hardline demands for a total overhaul of European security, demands rejected in 2021 because they were seen as an infringement of the sovereignty of central and eastern European countries. The latest round of talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US was held this week in Abu Dhabi.

US envoy Jared Kushner said on Thursday night that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to expand the next round of peace negotiations to include the Europeans. However, Russia quickly contradicted that assurance.

The Kremlin said on Friday: “Once we understand [Europe’s] real intentions and their willingness to contribute to the peace process, then we can make a decision on holding talks in an expanded format.” Russia’s lead negotiator in Abu Dhabi, Vladimir Medinsky, said it was “unclear what there is to discuss” with Europe.

Europe’s negotiating team

European leaders agreed on a negotiating team: the EU institutions and E5 countries, namely Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland, European Council president António Costa said after the summit in Dublin.

“Europe must speak with one clear and united voice in all discussions that shape the future of Ukraine and the security of our continent,” Costa said. “This is ultimately a team effort.”

German chancellor Friedrich Merz said: “Russia wants to talk about questions of a European security architecture. We do not need to discuss that; it already exists.” He added that it was a “given” that his country would be part of any European delegation.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said it was “self-explanatory that Europe is included in the peace talks to safeguard our interests, but also to support Ukraine.”

Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson said the discussion on who should represent Europe was “slightly overstated” as it had differing interests. He said: “I am quite flexible on that. I think what we actually say is more important than the exact configuration of the people in the room.”

Why it matters

The dispute centers on whether peace talks should address Ukraine only or a broader European security framework. European leaders fear a settlement could restore Russia’s sphere of influence and undermine NATO. They point to treaties Russia broke, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Act of 1975, the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, the OSCE and the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.

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Sources

• theguardian.com: Russia is ‘setting traps’ in Ukraine talks, EU foreign policy chief warns | European Union | The Guardian
• dw.com: The dangers of revising Europe's security architecture
• axios.com: Scoop: U.S. asks Russia to propose new security agreement with Europe

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.