German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the May 22 videoconference, the focus was on activating the peace process, strengthening diplomatic efforts, and increasing Europe's role in this process.
During the meeting, the parties emphasized that the situation around Ukraine is of critical importance not only for Kyiv but for the security of all of Europe. Therefore, leading European nations noted the necessity of continuing military, political, and diplomatic support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression.
Following the negotiations, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that European allies acknowledge that Ukraine's position has significantly strengthened both militarily and politically in recent times. In his view, strong pressure and a unified position are what could force Russia to return to practical diplomacy.
According to the British Prime Minister's press office, European countries have agreed to further intensify support for Ukraine in the coming months. This assistance may include increasing military capabilities, maintaining political pressure, and defending Ukraine's interests in the diplomatic arena.
The issue of Russia's future plans was also discussed at the meeting. Zelenskyy said he provided information regarding Russia's potential actions concerning Ukraine, Belarus, and other European directions. In this regard, plans are in place to continue information exchange between intelligence services.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that negotiations in the Ukraine-USA-Russia format have practically exhausted their potential. He believes that actively involving European Union representatives in peace talks could give the process new momentum, as European nations should not remain on the sidelines while the war's consequences directly impact continental security.
Sybiha also proposed the idea of holding a meeting at the head-of-state level involving Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Donald Trump. Such a format, if realized, could become one of the highest-level political negotiations to end the war.
In short, European leaders are signaling their readiness to act more actively regarding achieving peace in Ukraine. Kyiv maintains the position that for diplomacy to be effective, pressure on Russia must be strong. The path ahead is not easy, but the important thing is that the topic of peace is returning to the center of high-level political discussion.
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