It’s unclear why Putin has had this apparent change of mind about international peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Just three days ago, Russia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom said Moscow outright rejected the idea of British forces posted to a post-war Ukraine.
A special summit of European leaders is to be held on 6 March.
A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada were in Ukraine’s capital Monday to show their support on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Washington’s demands for around $500 billion (€477 billion) in mineral wealth from Ukraine was initially rejected by Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the grounds that the US hadn’t offered any security guarantees.
The first round of negotiations in Riyadh on Tuesday prompted European allies to rally around Volodymyr Zelenskyy, nervous about Trump’s perceived pivot to Moscow and fears that talks would take place without Ukraine’s direct involvement and favour Russia.
Polish President Andrzej Duda will meet with Donald Trump on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron will be in DC on Monday, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to be in the US on Thursday.
The French weekly news magazine Le Point, citing anonymous sources, reported that Trump may attend a parade in the Russian capital to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
As Sunday’s snap federal election nears, political parties are intensifying their efforts in the final stretch to drum up support.
The Hungarian government has asked the EU to refrain from any new initiatives that could undermine the Trump-led negotiations.
Donald Trump’s push to strike a deal between Russia and Ukraine has rattled Europeans and stoked fears their security will be irreparably weakened.