Europe will be excluded from talks aimed at ending Russian wars in Ukraine, the US-led Ukrainian envoy said.
General Keith Kellogg made the announcement on Saturday after the US sent a survey to European capitals to ask what it could contribute to Kiev’s security assurance.
Trump consulted Russian President Vladimir Putin this week, and surprised President Kiev’s European allies beforehand, declared an immediate start to talks about peace in Ukraine.
The Trump administration has said NATO’s European allies have other priorities, including border security and countering China.
Asked if he could assure the audience that Ukrainians and Europeans were at the table for a talk, Kellogg told a global security conference in Munich that he said, “As you put it together, the answer to that last question.” No,” he said.
But the Ukrainians would be at the table “of course,” he said.
European leaders were quick to respond.
“There is no way to discuss or negotiate the future of Ukraine or European security structure without Europeans,” said Finland President Alexander Stubb, who also said the same security structure in Munich. He talked about the meeting. “But this means that Europe needs to put together its actions. Europe needs to talk less and do more.”
The European diplomat said the US survey included six questions, one with special questions for European Union members.
“Americans are approaching the European capital and asking how many soldiers are ready to deploy,” one diplomat said the Reuters Agency reported.