NATO Worries Grow That Europe Will Be Left Out of Talks to End War in Ukraine

It would have been better to talk about Ukraine's possible NATO membership or the country's possible loss of territory at the negotiating table first and not take it off the table beforehand,

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters in Brussels

The West started to fall apart last night,

Lete concluded, suggesting that translantic cooperation was giving way to US preferences

Any deal behind our backs will not work. Any agreement will need also Ukraine and Europe being part of it,

Kallas said

[Europeans] provide the bulk of financial assistance to Ukraine,

Grand said, pointing to Ukraine's path toward joining the European Union

Why are we giving [Russia] everything they want even before the negotiations have started?"

she said to DW and other outlets on the sidelines of the talks

The arguments that have been made that somehow coming to the table right now is making concessions to Vladimir Putin outright that the President of the United States shouldn’t otherwise make — I just reject that at its face."

But when pressed on whether the US would also spell out concessions Russia might have to make, he wouldn’t be drawn, instead saying

Reconstruction of Ukraine is likely to be largely funded by Europe,

he explained from the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference

I challenge anyone else to think of a world leader at this moment who, with credibility and strength, could bring those two leaders to the table and forge a durable peace that ultimately serves the interests of Ukraine,

he added

Europeans need to make clear that they stand ready to play the role proposed, ... but they expect in return to have a seat at the table and to shape a settlement that would allow to build a solid and lasting peace."

he said