German Defense Minister Boris Pistoriusbelieves that the US should not make concessions to Russia before the talks begin. He also expressed doubts that Russian dictator Putin is serious about negotiations.
The Guardian reports this
Pistorius urged the US not to make concessions to Russia before the talks
The head of the German Defense Ministry believes that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about peace talks — and he says there are doubts about this — he should show this by suspending attacks on Ukraine.
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In addition, according to Pistorius, Europe should be included in any negotiations, especially if Donald Trump expects European allies to play a peacekeeping role in any future agreement, as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has suggested.
In particular, Defense Minister Pistorius noted that “it would be better if the US did not make concessions to Russia before the talks even started”, pointing to the issue of Ukraine's NATO membership or any territorial concessions.
According to the head of the German Defense Ministry, a quick peace agreement will not necessarily resolve all concerns about Russia's increasingly assertive policies in the region. He warns that Europeans cannot simply “sit back and relax.”
At the same time, Boris Pistorius cautions against over-reacting to the announcement of peace talks, as he says Putin continues to provoke Europe and remains a threat.
Pistorius was also asked about who should represent Europe in any talks, and floated the idea of Germany's participation. However, he said that was for others to decide — but insists that a European voice must be at the negotiating table.
Recall that earlier US President Donald Trump said that it was unlikely that Ukraine would return to the 2014 borders, hinting that the country would have to cede territory to Russia to stop a full-scale war.
In addition, regarding Ukraine's membership in NATO, President Trump referred to the speech of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at NATO headquarters in Brussels, who called the idea of Ukraine joining the Alliance “unlikely” and “impractical.”
— And I believe that this is indeed the case. They've been saying for a long time that Ukraine shouldn't join NATO, and that's fine with me. I just want to end the war,' Trump said.
