EU: "We Must Be Included in US-Russia Talks"... Emergency Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the 11th

EU Foreign Policy Chief: "All Occupied Territories Belong to Ukraine"

The European Union (EU) will hold an emergency meeting of foreign ministers on the 11th (local time), ahead of a summit between the United States and Russia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, announced on the 10th that she had convened a special meeting to discuss the "next steps." The meeting will be held via video conference.

This move is seen as an attempt to coordinate response scenarios in advance, depending on the outcome of the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for the 15th. As of now, it remains unclear whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be invited or attend, raising concerns in both Europe and Ukraine about being sidelined.

High Representative Kallas stated, "President Trump's assertion that Russia must end the war is correct. The United States has the power to pressure Russia to engage seriously in negotiations." She added, "Any agreement between the United States and Russia must include Ukraine and the EU, because this is a matter of security for Ukraine and for all of Europe."

She also emphasized, "International law is clear. All territories temporarily occupied (by Russia) belong to Ukraine." This was a rebuttal to President Trump's remarks suggesting the possibility of "territorial exchanges."

High Representative Kallas warned, "Russia hopes its offer to negotiate will help it evade U.S. sanctions," and stressed that any agreement "must not provide a springboard for another invasion of Ukraine, the Atlantic alliance, or Europe."

The leaders of the eight countries known as the "NB8"?the five Nordic countries and the three Baltic states?also issued a joint statement declaring, "No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine, and no decisions about Europe without Europe." While welcoming President Trump's efforts to end the war, the eight leaders emphasized that "peace is only possible when determined diplomacy, unwavering support for Ukraine, and sustained pressure to end Russia's illegal war are combined." They added, "We reaffirm the principle that international borders must not be changed by force."