The “coalition of the willing” has agreed on it that at least one European head of state or government should keep in touch with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb explained this in front of press representatives on Thursday, as several media report. Ideally, this would be France President Emmanuel Macron or the British Prime Minister Keir Strandmer who lead the coalition.
“In our discussion in Paris, we found that a European had to report to the Russians,” said Stubb, who also took part in the last meeting of the “coalition of the willing” last week.
No European head of state or government currently plays a role in negotiations with Putin and his representatives. In Saudi Arabia, only the Americans speak to Russia, but also with Ukraine. The last head of state from the series of European Ukraine supporters, who was on the phone with Putin, was Chancellor Olaf Scholz in November last year. However, the conversation did not lead to any results.
France and Great Britain are currently the European forces that are mostly promoting a peace mission in Ukraine. After the Paris meeting, they also explained that they were ready to send troops to monitor potential ceasefire. It shows whether this is a good prerequisite for talks with Putin.
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The most important news of the day at a glance
- The Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitrijew is according to its own statements To talks about improving relationships with the USA traveled to Washington. On behalf of President Putin, he has been in the US capital since Wednesday and will meet “President Donald Trump’s government for two days,” said Dmitrijew on Thursday. More on this in the news blog.
- A total of 185 trading partners are on the list of US President Donald Trump’s penalty tariffs. Ukraine is also represented that penalty tariffs will be due for the country in the future. Anyone missing on the list is the Russian Federation. Why is that? More on this here.
- Ukraine receives further support from Denmark for her defense against the Russian attack war. As part of the 25th support package of the Scandinavian NATO country, Copenhagen provides help for Ukrainian air defense and artillery from 2025 to 2027.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has Fears before a soon-to-be withdrawal from US troops from Europe. “There are no plans that they suddenly reduce their presence here in Europe,” said Rutte on Thursday on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
- According to the EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas The EU already covers half of the need for ammunition of Ukraine. “We have to help Ukraine as soon as possible. President Selenskyj said that they need five billion to have at least two million shots,” she said before the summit of EU defense ministers in Warsaw.
- The East Ukrainian City of Charkiw once again the goal of a severe Russian attack with combat drones. Mayor Ihor Terechow wrote on Telegram within 40 minutes of 14 drones.
- In the context of a return agreement Ukrainian children brought home more eleven more to Russia made. This was announced by the head of the Ukrainian President Selenskyj, Andrij Jermak. He thanked the Ukrainian ombudsman’s office for his help in returning the children.
- The USA apparently no longer sanctioned Karina Rotenberg. She is the wife of the oligarch Boris Rotenberg, who is close to Putin. “The Kyiv Independent” reports on an authority subordinate to the US Ministry of Finance. The reasons were therefore not specified.
- Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin has A return to Russia to world football during the current war of aggression against Ukraine excluded. “I have said it many times and can repeat it,” said the Slovenian after the European Football Union’s congress in Belgrade. “When the war stops, they are allowed again.”