Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Foreign Minister, has urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to focus on involving the entire European Union in peace negotiations rather than just individual nations. He highlighted recent discussions that included representatives from France and Germany alongside key figures from the Trump administration during their meeting in Kyiv.
Reports suggest that further preparations for negotiations with Russia regarding peace in Ukraine will continue over the coming weeks, with Ukraine collaborating with France, Germany, and the UK to establish the terms of these discussions.
Tajani emphasized that Europe has significant potential to contribute to peace efforts, but this requires a unified approach across the EU rather than fragmented initiatives from small groups. He conveyed this advice to Zelensky as a friend of Ukraine, suggesting the inclusion of Italy and Poland in the process alongside France and Germany.
He reiterated Italy’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defense, stating that while Italy aims for a fair peace, it will not send its troops into conflict. Zelensky, in response, acknowledged the importance of having EU representatives at the negotiation table, asserting that Europe is already part of the ongoing dialogue, as demonstrated in the recent talks held in Kyiv.
Background
- On September 5, key figures from the Trump administration, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with the illegitimate president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow, discussing various potential resolutions for the war. The meeting lasted over three hours but reportedly did not yield significant breakthroughs. The following day, Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Kyiv for their first visit to Ukraine.
- During a press conference on September 6, Witkoff stated that Washington intends to return to a trilateral negotiation format involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia.
- Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, described the meeting with Trump’s representatives as a “small step toward peace” and noted that the Kremlin does not rule out resuming trilateral talks with the U.S. and Ukraine.
