Czech President Petr Pavel has warned that Russia, the United States and China could reach an agreement on Ukraine “about us without us” if Europe does not join the peace negotiations with its own demands, focus-news.net reported, citing the Czech daily Ceske Noviny.
Pavel said a window of opportunity for joining the diplomatic process is currently open, but it could close quickly because of efforts to forge a fully unified position among all European states. He made the remarks after discussing with Finnish President Alexander Stubb a phone call Stubb held earlier with the Norwegian prime minister and Russian President Vladimir Putin; Pavel said the roughly half-hour conversation with Stubb focused on whether Moscow is showing readiness for diplomatic dialogue.
“We fully agreed that negotiations with Russia are in our interest,” Pavel said, according to focus-news.net. He added that participants in the discussion noted a certain signal of openness from the Russian Federation, and that Europe must “take advantage of this, be as rational as possible, but at the same time very well prepared.”
Pavel: Waiting for full EU consensus risks a deal made without Europe
The Czech president cautioned that the ideal outcome would be a common European framework, but waiting for complete agreement carries serious risks. “We probably won’t achieve an ideal situation where all European states agree on a unified position in the negotiations and on the names of those who will lead the negotiations,” he said, as reported by focus-news.net.
Excessive delay by European leaders, Pavel warned, could prove fatal for the continent’s future security architecture. “By this window I mean that if Europe does not clearly state its demands, plans and proposals during the peace negotiations, a situation can very quickly arise in which Russia, the US and China will agree about us without us,” he said. “Given that European security is at stake, I would consider this extremely serious.”
Poland rejects Western Europe negotiating with Russia behind the East’s back
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski echoed the concern from Warsaw, warning that Western European countries could strike deals with Russia on settling the Ukraine conflict without taking Eastern European interests into account. “The last thing we want is for Western Europe to negotiate with Russia, bypassing the countries of Eastern Europe,” Sikorski said, as quoted by the Rapporteur newspaper and reported by eurocom.bg.
According to Rapporteur, the European Union is currently holding internal disputes over who should represent the bloc in any talks to end the war. Despite those discussions, no official European participation in trilateral negotiations to resolve the conflict is currently planned, eurocom.bg reported.
Why the warnings matter now
Both leaders framed the moment as a narrow diplomatic window: Pavel told Ceske Noviny that Europe must state its demands clearly or risk a settlement imposed by Washington, Moscow and Beijing, while Sikorski told Rapporteur that Eastern European states must not be bypassed in any deal. The warnings come as no formal European role in the talks has been scheduled, leaving the question of who speaks for Europe unresolved.
Pavel and Sikorski clash over Ukraine negotiations
Who warned that Russia, the US and China could decide Ukraine’s fate without Europe?
Czech President Petr Pavel, in remarks cited by Ceske Noviny and reported by focus-news.net.
What did Pavel say about talks with Russia?
He said negotiations with Russia are in Europe’s interest and that Moscow has shown a signal of openness, but Europe must be rational and well prepared.
What did Poland’s foreign minister say?
Radosław Sikorski said the last thing Poland wants is Western Europe negotiating with Russia while bypassing Eastern European countries, according to Rapporteur as reported by eurocom.bg.
Is Europe officially part of the peace talks?
No. According to Rapporteur, as reported by eurocom.bg, no official European participation in trilateral negotiations is currently planned, and EU members are still disputing who should represent the bloc.
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