‘Europe belongs at this table,’ Germany tells US before Ukraine talks

What the report says

European foreign ministers used a G7 meeting in Paris to press US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a direct European role in any settlement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting. The discussions came as US-mediated Russia-Ukraine talks were beginning in Abu Dhabi, creating an overlap that highlighted tensions over who should shape the negotiating process.

Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said after talks with Rubio that Europe must be included in any serious decision on the continent’s security future. He argued that a major change to Europe’s security architecture would not be appropriate and said a deal could not be reached without Europe. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, was also scheduled to join part of the Paris discussions and said no one had the right to decide Ukraine’s future without it.

The Paris meeting brought together the G7 countries, and also included ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea and Brazil. According to Al Jazeera, the talks reflected growing unease among several US allies over Washington’s approach to Ukraine, including concerns about reduced support and a more unilateral stance.

The article also noted that Iran is expected to feature in the wider Paris agenda on Tuesday. More broadly, the meeting underscored uncertainty among allies about the direction of US diplomacy and the role of multilateral decision-making in both Europe and the Middle East.