Berlin, Germany, March 19, 2023 – Following the US proposal for peace talks with Russia, the major EU countries are still struggling to find a unified stance. As reported by the German government’s spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit, there are still “certain points” where differing opinions prevail.
Specifically, the discussion on how to organize security for Ukraine after a conflict resolution in Ukraine is moving “too fast” and is “too early” for the German Chancellor, according to Hebestreit. The British Prime Minister has explicitly offered to actively participate in a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine with troops, while Germany remains cautious in this regard.
Hebestreit declined to comment on whether the French President, Emmanuel Macron, would represent Germany during his visit to Washington next week, stating that the European Union would be represented by the Commission President and the Council President. However, a constant exchange is taking place among the security advisors, foreign ministers and defense ministers, all moving in the same direction, Hebestreit added.
Last Monday, the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, as well as representatives of NATO and the EU, met in Paris to discuss a joint approach on the Ukraine issue and the general security situation. The US initially announced it would conduct peace talks with Russia without EU involvement and later, the US President made further statements, questioning the legitimacy of Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.