Vladimir Putin and US negotiators appear to have failed to achieve a breakthrough on securing a Ukraine peace deal
Russian officials say the talks were “constructive” but “no compromise” was reached over territorial concessions for Ukraine
It comes as NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the ongoing peace talks
Earlier, Putin had said Europe’s peace deal demands were “not acceptable”, adding: “We are not going to fight with Europe, but if Europe wants to fight with us, we are ready right now”
Elsewhere, Ukraine‘s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that some things “still need to be worked out” in the draft peace plan but that “now more than ever, there is a chance to end this war”
NATO foreign ministers have reacted differently to the latest development, with the German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, saying he welcomes all talks aimed at ending the war, but saw “no serious willingness on the Russian side to enter into negotiations”.
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Also reflecting on the overnight US-Russia talks, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Europe must decide what will happen in the continent, adding: “Putin cannot decide over us […] the US cannot make decisions instead of us.”
His Latvian counterpart, Baiba Braze, warned that “Russia is trying to split NATO” through what she described as “so-called peace talks”.
Finland’s Elina Valtonen pushed back on Putin’s earlier comments that his country did not want conflict with Europe but was “ready” for war, saying Russia was using this “rhetoric” to “intimidate us”.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, called on the Russian president to “end the bluster and bloodshed”, while Norway’s Espen Barth Eide said Ukraine “needs to stay strong” and NATO needs to “stay committed”.
