US Secretary of State Bypasses Ukraine, 'Soothing Europe' After US-Russia Talks

Phone Calls with Foreign Ministers of Major European Countries... Explanation of Talks
Some European Countries Express Discontent over Exclusion from Paris Meeting

U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio engaged in a belated 'European appeasement' effort on the 18th (local time) by explaining the results of the U.S.-Russia talks held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to foreign ministers of major European countries immediately after the meeting.

On the 18th (local time), negotiations between the United States and Russia to end the Ukraine war took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Attending the talks were U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio, White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, U.S. Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Kremlin Foreign Affairs Advisor Yuri Ushakov. Representing Saudi Arabia were Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and National Security Advisor Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary Rubio spoke by phone with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy right after the U.S.-Russia talks.

During the calls, Secretary Rubio briefed the European ministers on the outcome of his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and stated that they agreed to maintain close communication in efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution to the Ukraine conflict, according to the U.S. State Department. This appears to be an attempt to soothe European dissatisfaction with the U.S.-Russia talks.

However, the reactions from Ukraine and Europe, both parties to the war, were cold. Kaya Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a media interview that it would not be wise to "give away the strong cards we hold" in response to Rubio mentioning the lifting of European sanctions against Russia after the U.S.-Russia talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had originally planned to visit Saudi Arabia on the 19th, postponed the trip by one day, openly expressing dissatisfaction with the U.S.-Russia talks.

Within Europe, there is a lack of unity regarding Ukraine's security issues. The list of participants at an informal meeting held in Paris became the source of discord. Previously, France invited only seven heads of state?those from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Denmark?to the Paris meeting led by President Emmanuel Macron the day before. The participant list was centered on Western European countries, with only Poland, the rotating chair of the EU, and Denmark, the chair of the Northern European and Baltic cooperation group, added as guests.

Some European countries that were not invited to the informal meeting in Paris expressed disappointment. A close associate of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala pointed out, "No country has accepted more Ukrainian refugees per capita than we have," criticizing the ?lys?e Palace for inviting only Poland among Ukraine's neighboring countries. President Emmanuel Macron, who selectively sent invitations, was criticized as "arrogant." Romania, an EU member state, also expressed regret over being excluded from the invitation list.