Brussels – Ambassadors from 27 EU countries convened urgently in Brussels to assess the repercussions of the Trump-Putin meeting held in Alaska, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in discussions at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Trump characterized the meeting as “very productive,” indicating that while they reached agreements on various points, there were no advancements toward a ceasefire or a significant breakthrough.
Why did EU ambassadors call an emergency session?
The emergency meeting arose amid heightened concerns in Brussels and other EU capitals about the implications of the summit and Trump’s subsequent communications with leaders of the European Commission, NATO Secretary General, and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy.
“An emergency meeting of COREPER (the Committee of Permanent Representatives) began on Saturday morning to discuss further steps on Ukraine,”
TASS reported.
What role does the committee play in EU decision-making?
The committee is responsible for drafting all ministerial decisions for the European Union Council. It serves as a core body consisting of the heads or deputy heads of mission from EU member states based in Brussels, facilitating the preparation and drafting of decisions for EU Council meetings, making it essential to the EU’s decision-making process.
According to TASS, “the sides intend to coordinate positions and possibly make their own statement” in light of the Russian-US discussions. The report also highlighted that only a few officials remained in Brussels or other EU capitals, awaiting the outcomes of the Alaska summit and Trump’s phone call, during which he likely provided more insights than during his press conference.
How did the Alaska summit address the Russia-Ukraine war?
Following two and a half hours of closed-door discussions, Trump stated there had been “great progress” in talks with Putin; however, no agreement concerning the conflict in Ukraine was reached.
After their discussion, Trump and Putin conducted a joint press conference but refrained from detailing specific topics covered.
In a later interview, Trump proposed the possibility of a tri-party meeting involving himself, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Additionally, Trump engaged in an extended conversation with Zelensky during his flight back from Alaska, which included discussions with other European leaders, lasting over an hour and a half in total, reports 24brussels.
