Europe must be at table in peace talks on Ukraine – Wadephul

Wadephul made the statement on Monday ahead of his departure for Latvia and Sweden, Ukrinform reported, citing a press release from the German Foreign Office.

“The situation in Ukraine is particularly grave at the moment: following deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure, one million people are without electricity, hundreds of thousands without heating – in icy temperatures. All the more important, then, is the signal that there is now movement towards direct talks between Ukraine and Russia and with US mediation. However, one thing must always be clear: Europe must be at the negotiating table when pan-European interests and our security are at stake,” the German foreign minister said.

He emphasized that the world is going through a phase of geopolitical change, during which Europeans must act with confidence and unity. He paid special attention to the Baltic region as a hotspot where Germany and its closest partners in the EU and NATO are facing hybrid threats from Russia.

“Virtually no other region in the EU is as hugely affected by the hybrid activities orchestrated by the Kremlin. The Baltic region’s experiences underline our acute need for action: we cannot afford to lose any time when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure or imposing sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet. Security and resilience in the Baltic Sea region create stability for the whole of Europe,” Wadephul said.

The minister underscored the indispensability of transatlantic cooperation for Europe’s security, while also stating that Europeans cannot rely exclusively on it and must increasingly take security into their own hands. At the same time, he stressed that Russia was, is, and remains the greatest threat to Europe’s security.

“Important debates being conducted within the transatlantic alliance must not be allowed to shift focus away from our central interest, namely freedom and security for Ukraine as a sovereign state. Putin is hoping for just such a loss of focus. For us, it is clear that Russia is and remains the greatest threat to security and freedom in Europe,” the German foreign minister said.

As reported by Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that following the trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, the number of contentious issues had decreased, while emphasizing that Ukraine’s position on territorial integrity remains unchanged.