The Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Spain, and Poland emphasized the importance of achieving peace in Ukraine while considering the interests of the Ukrainian people. During a meeting in Paris, they stressed that no decisions can be made about Ukraine without the country’s involvement, as well as the need for European participation in any negotiations related to European security. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted, “Nothing can be decided about Ukraine without Ukraine and nothing can be decided about European security without Europe because Russian aggression to Ukraine clearly affects European security.”
Joint Statement and Ukrainian Involvement
The ministers issued a joint statement expressing their desire to collaborate with the Americans to achieve “a fair and lasting peace” in Ukraine, with “strong security guarantees” for Kyiv. They emphasized that all negotiations must involve Europe and Ukraine, and that Ukraine should be in a position of strength during any peace talks. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock questioned whether Russian President Putin is ready to negotiate, given his role in initiating the conflict.
French and Ukrainian Perspectives
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot highlighted that Ukrainians are the “owners of the parameters of a peace negotiation” with the Russians, as they are a sovereign people. Barrot also stressed the importance of European unity in deterring the Russian threat and avoiding further aggression in Europe. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrà Sibiga, emphasized the indivisibility of Ukrainian and European security, stating, “The security of Ukraine and the European are indivisible, we are going to focus on security guarantees for our country and how to increase the price that Russia will have to pay to continue this brutal aggression against Ukraine.”
Commitment to Euro-Atlantic Integration
France reiterated its commitment to Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, both in terms of EU membership and potential NATO integration. Barrot noted that while the process of joining NATO takes time, France supports an invitation to Ukraine. The ministers avoided commenting on statements made by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who suggested that it may not be realistic for Ukraine to return to its pre-2014 borders. Instead, Barrot warned that forcing Ukraine to capitulate would be a dangerous precedent, encouraging despots and tyrants to invade their neighbors with impunity.