Left Out of Ukraine Talks, Europe Races to Organize a Response

The New York Times ^ | Feb. 16, 2025, 11:24 a.m. ET | Andrew E. Kramer

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The Trump administration’s push for negotiations without Ukrainian involvement leaves European allies with no clear role.

While American officials prepared on Sunday for the start of talks with Russia over ending the war in Ukraine, European leaders were moving to formulate a response to President Trump’s rapid push for a settlement that appeared to leave them and Ukrainian officials with no clear role in the process.

The Russian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, where the talks are to take place this week, met Sunday with the kingdom’s foreign minister. Two senior Trump administration officials — Mike Waltz, and the Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff — will fly to Saudi Arabia to join Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the negotiations, Mr. Witkoff said Sunday in an interview with Fox News.

The preparations come after a flurry of diplomatic discussions over the past several days that included a conversation between Mr. Rubio and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov.

On Sunday, Mr. Rubio said in an interview from Jerusalem with CBS News that if an opportunity presented itself for a “broader conversation that would involve Ukraine and would involve the end of the war, and would involve our allies all over the world, particularly in Europe,” the United States would explore it.

He did not say which Russian officials would be in Riyadh this week, and noted that he had made plans earlier to be in Saudi Arabia anyway during this trip, his first to the Middle East as secretary of state. “Nothing’s been finalized yet,” he said.

The meeting with Russia, while preliminary, would signal the start of Mr. Trump’s accelerated timetable for a deal and his seeming determination to conduct negotiations with Russia alone, at least for now.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

[FrankRizzo890]

They’re concerned that they might miss out on the rebuilding contracts. It’s all about money at the end of the day.

[woweeitsme]

So how, I have a picture of a Keystone Kops scenario in my head.

[monkeyshine]

As I posted on an other thread, they are responsible for this mess. So was team Biden. Egging Ukraine on to more war and death and refusing to even talk about negotiating a truce. Biden is gone now but they are still here, so no, they can’t come to the negotiating table with us. They had the chance to talk peace for 3 years but did nothing but inflame more war.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

As it currently stands, the EU will not even get a Participation Trophy in these war settlement talks.

[Karl Spooner]

No wokies allowed.

.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

-— “Left Out of Ukraine Talks, Europe Races to Organize a Response” BLAMING PRESIDENT TRUMP. 3.... 2.... 1....

[healy61]

Well, many were not happy with VP Vance’s speech. And many would undermine President Trump in a heartbeat. They are a bunch of has-beens and weren’t needed. They can all go arrest people for praying in their homes.

[healy61]

And a second thought: they should have had something in place and been able to send an envoy with a moments notice. The Adults with handle this.

[Bratch]

Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “I will never accept any decisions between the USA and Russia” About Peace in Ukraine

February 16, 2025 | Sundance

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears on Meet the Press to discuss his position toward ending the conflict with Russia.  Within the conversation [04:11], Zelenskyy said,

“I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine.”

President Zelenskyy represents the interests of the European Union, multinational corporations, various elements of NATO memberships, the World Economic Forum, the CIA division within the U.S. State Dept., western banks and a confab of various western intelligence operations.  After that, he represents the interests of Ukrainians.  This is why he will not permit elections.

Exclusive: Zelenskyy warns of ‘high risk’ Putin will invade NATO countries: Full interview

The looming confrontation between President Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with all the aforementioned interests Zelenskyy supports, is going to be something very interesting.

The interview is almost an hour.  I am linking the transcript here; if you are short of time, you can read and review at your leisure.

[redcatcherb412]

O. K., well, buh bye then.

[dforest]

As usual, all they do is talk and act snooty. But they are truly worthless.

They will get together to talk about talking to make a plan. When they do, it will have US paying all the freight. LOL

[dforest]

Look at him. He is all doped up. 🤡🤡🤡

[Bobbyvotes]

But Zelenskyy will accept Billions of US dollars without anybody participating. No problem!

[delta7]

The brain dead EU leadership has torpedoed every negotiating attempt in the past.

Best to let the grown ups- President Trump and President Putin put an end to the EU’s shitshow, both Ukraine and the EU have no qualified leadership- their leader senile Joe and Blinken blew it years ago by refusing to any negotiations.

They can reap what they have sown.

[catnipman]

European Union + UK = The Intel of national powers ...

[FlipWilson]

Dear Europe, the problem with allowing yourself to become powerless is that nobody gives a crap about you.

[arthurus]

If it induce the Europeans to substantially increase their military budgets and get serious about it then they are embarked on the project the President wants even with their whining.

[arthurus]

If it induce the Europeans to substantially increase their military budgets and get serious about it then they are embarked on the project the President wants even with their whining.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "If it induce the Europeans to substantially increase their military budgets and get serious about it then they are embarked on the project the President wants even with their whining."

And time will tell, not mountains of words and press releases.