EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is expected to travel to the United States on Tuesday for talks in Washington with her counterpart Marco Rubio as US president Donald Trump continues his push with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end Russia's three-year war in Ukraine.
European politicians are attempting to gain a foothold in the looming peace negotiations after Trump sidelined them as well as the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky by making direct contact with Putin on 12 February.
"You can discuss whatever you want with Putin," said Kallas at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. "But if it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal."
Trump has fuelled fears that Ukraine might be humiliated. Questioning Zelenksy's political legitimacy, Trump said: “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law.”
In a post on social media, Trump added: “A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”
Kallas said: "To look at the messages that come from the United States, then it's clear that the Russian narrative is there, very strongly represented."
Kallas's visit to the American capital comes as part of intense diplomatic activity in the city. The French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the US on Monday - the third anniversary of the Russian invasion - and joined Trump in the Oval Office to take part in a call with the heads of the G7 leading economies and Zelensky.
A video posted by Zelensky on social media showed Trump behind his desk during the G7 call with Macron on his right hand side and US Vice President JD Vance to his left.
At their meeting later, Macron was expected to present several proposals warning Trump over the dangers of accepting a bad agreement over Ukraine.
"I'm going to tell him: being weak in the face of Putin, it's not in your interest," Macron said on his social networks last week. "Otherwise how else will you be able to be strong in the face of China and Iran?"
Kudos
Macron is the first European leader to visit Trump since his inauguration on 20 January. He will be followed by the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday. During Starmer's visit, Kallas is due to conclude two days of meetings with Rubio and other senior officials.
Trump's acolytes have also caused concern in Europe over their approach towards Ukraine and the commitment to honouring American obligations to the defence bloc Nato.
"It's clear that the statements coming from the United States make us all worried," Kallas added. "I want to stress that Nato is a defence alliance that is there for the defence of all the members, and it has worked well, also for America."
In response to Washington's equivocation, EU leaders will meet in Brussels next week for an emergency summit on Ukraine and bolstering their own defences with increased spending.
They are expected to agree a new package of arms for Ukrainian air defences as well as artillery shells and missiles.
"The details, especially the numbers, will be decided and discussed at the extraordinary European summit on 6 March," said Kallas.
(With newswires)
