EU: Europe must be involved in talks to resolve Russia-Ukraine standoff
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has said that negotiations to resolve tensions between Russia and Ukraine must involve Europe.
“One thing is clear: no solution without Europe. Whatever the solution, Europe has to be involved,” von der Leyen told a press conference in Paris on Friday.
She added that the European Union was “very present” in Ukraine, with financial aid totalling 6 billion euros ($6.7 billion), as well as highly dependent on its position as a transit hub for gas imports from Russia.
The EU chief’s call came ahead of crunch security talks between the United States and Russia next week.
French support
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking alongside von der Leyen, stressed that US-Russia talks were a positive development, but said they would not affect “European security architecture” which was “up to us to build.”
“The coordination between the Europeans and Americans is exemplary on the matter,” he said, while also calling for the European Union to hold its own talks with Moscow.
With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s border, the administration of US President Joe Biden has accepted talks in Geneva next Monday with Moscow, which has proposed agreements to limit NATO’s expansion.
