Putin is planning dangerous negotiations: what does this mean for Europe?

Putin is planning dangerous negotiations: what does this mean for Europe?

Negotiations to end the Ukraine war are gaining momentum after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior Russian officials plan to meet in Saudi Arabia. No European or Ukrainian representatives are reportedly scheduled to take part in the talks, raising concerns about the possible exclusion of key interlocutors. During the course of the negotiations, both a ceasefire and a renegotiation of the European security order could be on the agenda. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking an exclusive sphere of influence in Europe and is calling for American nuclear weapons to be withdrawn and NATO to be destabilized, as military expert Gustav Gressel reported to ZDF.

In addition, the talks call for a comprehensive exchange of all prisoners between Ukraine and Russia. Kiev has already supported an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron for a partial ceasefire on air strikes. The US delegation, led by Rubio, is accompanied in these negotiations by national security adviser Mike Waltz and envoy Steve Witkoff. The latter is planning a visit to Moscow to meet Putin directly, after previously repatriating American teacher Marc Fogel from a Russian prison. Witkoff's role is seen as increasingly important toward a possible resolution to the conflict, which has been going on for three years vienna.at.

US strategy and European security

The current US strategy under Trump, which calls for a quick and uncomplicated ceasefire, is dying due to a lack of European cooperation. Gressel analyzes that Putin has the opportunity to turn the negotiations into sham negotiations in order to gain time and become militarily stronger. This could prove disastrous for Europe, as declining American support threatens European security. In view of these developments, Zelenskyj is calling for a European army to counter possible aggression from Russia. He emphasized that there should be no decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine and without Europe, and that the future of Ukraine is therefore at the center of all international discussions, reported ZDF.