Europe must be part of the process aimed at ending the war in Ukraine: what Merz told Trump
Kyiv • UNN
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized to Donald Trump that Europe must be part of any process to end the war in Ukraine, as its defeat would affect the entire continent. The US has prepared a draft security guarantee for Ukraine based on the model of NATO's Article 5, but Ukraine objects to accepting this plan, which involves territorial concessions.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that during a long telephone conversation on Friday evening, he made it clear to US President Donald Trump that Europe must be part of any process aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, UNN reports with reference to The Guardian.
Wars, according to Merz, cannot be ended by great powers without taking into account the interests of the affected countries.
If Ukraine loses this war and perhaps disintegrates, it will affect European politics as a whole, the entire European continent. And that is why we are so committed to this issue.
The Chancellor of Germany emphasized that he clearly explained this position to Trump.
He also reminded Trump how Russia "dealt" with the Budapest Memorandum, a 1994 agreement under which Kyiv gave up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees that proved insufficient to deter Russia.
US Peace Plan for Ukraine
The United States of America has prepared a draft of security guarantees for Ukraine within the framework of Donald Trump's "peace plan" based on the model of NATO's Article 5, which obliges the US and European allies to perceive an attack on Ukraine as an attack on the entire "transatlantic community" and to respond accordingly.
Axios published a 28-point plan by US President Donald Trump for peace in Ukraine. The document provides for territorial concessions, security guarantees, and economic components.
A high-ranking representative of the President of Ukraine on security issues denied the adoption of Donald Trump's peace plan. This plan, developed without consultations with Ukraine and European allies, provides for Russian control over part of Ukrainian territories.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump will discuss the proposed US peace plan next week.
Recall
The new US plan to end the Russian-Ukrainian war surprised the European diplomatic community.
European leaders are urgently coordinating a response to the US and Russian peace plan for Ukraine. This initiative has caused panic and concern among European officials, who believe it could force Ukraine to cede territory and limit NATO deployments.