Lithuanian FM urges EU to reach agreement on frozen Russian assets to gain seat at negotiating table
Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kestutis Budrys said that the European Union must urgently take action on the use of frozen Russian assets in order to secure a place at the table for peace negotiations on Ukraine.
He stated this in an interview with Bloomberg, according to Ukrinform.
Budrys said that the role of the immobilized central bank assets in current negotiations shows they are an essential component to reaching a deal. He reinforced calls for EU allies to strike an agreement on how to tap the funds.
"Now is the time to make a decision. Let's act. Otherwise, it will be a lost opportunity for Europe to play the relevant role," he said.
EU leaders are meeting to discuss Ukraine on the sidelines of an EU-African Union summit in the Angolan capital Luanda early on Monday. The priority for Europe is help set the agenda, Budrys said.
"The first priority for Europe is to get at the table. We have to get the ticket to the table. We have to get some leverage. The two things that provide access to negotiations are frozen assets, that's one, and number two is the EU for Ukraine. That would provide something credible," Budrys said.
As Ukrinform reported, US media circulated information that the Trump administration had held secret consultations with the Russians in order to develop a new plan to end the war in Ukraine. According to an Axios publication, the plan consists of 28 points and is divided into four broad categories: peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe, and the future relations of the United States with Russia and Ukraine.
On November 23, representatives of the United States and Ukraine met in Geneva to discuss the American peace proposal. Following the negotiations, the parties prepared an updated and revised framework document on peace. EU representatives were not present at this meeting.
The European Commission welcomed the constructive progress made in the peace negotiations on Ukraine that took place over the weekend, while warning that there is still much work ahead.
On November 24, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Finland, Italy, and Poland coordinated their positions during phone talks following the meeting of the Ukrainian and US delegations in Geneva.