Russia Dismisses EU Diplomatic Efforts Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit
Russia has dismissed European diplomatic consultations with Ukraine as “insignificant,” a statement that comes just days before a scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Russian foreign ministry deputy spokesman Alexey Fadeev expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the European efforts during a briefing, stating, “We consider the consultations sought by the Europeans to be politically and practically insignificant,” reports 24brussels.
Fadeev criticized the EU for verbally supporting diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Moscow regarding the crisis in Ukraine, while accusing the bloc of undermining those efforts. “The Europeans verbally support the diplomatic efforts of Washington and Moscow to resolve the crisis around Ukraine, but in fact the European Union is sabotaging them,” he remarked.
In an urgent response, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to hold discussions with Trump on Wednesday in an effort to ensure the protection of Kyiv’s interests during the forthcoming summit with Putin. The meeting is currently planned without the participation of Zelenskyy, raising concerns that Ukraine may be coerced into accepting unfavorable concessions, particularly regarding territorial issues.
Zelenskyy has called for a full ceasefire, a proposal that has been flatly rejected by Russia. Prior to the conference call, he urged that “pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a fair peace” after engaging with more than 30 international leaders recently.
On Tuesday, EU leaders emphasized Ukraine’s “inherent right to choose its own destiny,” asserting that “international borders must not be changed by force.” However, in response, Fadeev stated that the EU’s declarations about supporting peaceful resolutions merely represent attempts to prolong the negotiation process.
He added, “We will monitor the actions of European countries in connection with the upcoming summit and hope that no steps will be taken that would prevent it from taking place and reaching constructive agreements.”
