Ukraine and Europe worry about being sidelined as Trump pushes direct talks with Russia on war's end

I think in Europe we need to talk less and do more,

he said later

A wind of unity is blowing over Europe, as we perhaps have not felt since the COVID period.”

Speaking to France-Info on Sunday, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot sought to project a united front

The risk that Russia will occupy Europe is 100%,

he said in comments to the “Meet the Press” program recorded Friday

Don’t underestimate Trump as a negotiator. I genuinely believe that Putin is baffled and afraid what might be coming from there,

Stubb said

The first phase is the pre-negotiation, and this is a moment when we need to rearm Ukraine and put maximum pressure on Russia, which means sanctions, which means frozen assets, so that Ukraine begins these negotiations from a position of strength,

Stubb said

I can announce that I will propose to activate the ‘escape clause’ for defense investments,

she said

And to my European friends, I would say, get into the debate, not by complaining that you might, yes or no, be at the table, but by coming up with concrete proposals, ideas, ramp up (defense) spending,

the NATO secretary-general said at the conference

If Trump is negotiating with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin about Europe, then it is impossible to talk about Europe without us,

he told NewsWeek

We feel like Ukraine has to be at the table, and Europe does, too,

she added

What we don't want to do is get into a large group discussion,

Kellogg said,

The U.K. will work to ensure we keep the U.S. and Europe together. We cannot allow any divisions in the alliance to distract from the external enemies we face,

Starmer said, ... according to the Guardian report

This is about Russia, but this is also about Europe,

she said

The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it's not China. It's not any other external actor,

he said

We are talking about comprehensive long-lasting peace — not just the absence of war,

he said of plans to wind down the conflict,

Of course, there comes a time when discussions have to begin. The president of the United States has begun those conversations with Putin. But the end state of this conversation is nowhere near, and everything is on the table,

he told The Moscow Times

When I spoke to Kellogg yesterday he didn’t say anything of that sort,

Stubb said

The Americans are approaching European capitals and asking how many soldiers they are ready to deploy,

one diplomat said

There's no way in which we can have discussions or negotiations about Ukraine, Ukraine's future or European security structure, without Europeans,

Finland's President Alexander Stubb told reporters in Munich

Russia is really a petrostate,

he said,

The answer to that last question (regarding Europeans), just as you framed it, the answer is no."

Asked if he could assure the audience that Ukrainians