• Macron to brief EU leaders today on his talks at White House
• Starmer hopes to act as a ‘bridge’ between America and Europe

MOSCOW: After US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Russia is open to European peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine, the Kremlin reaffirmed its opposition to any such plan, referring reporters to an earlier statement that such a move would be “unacceptable to Moscow”.

Russia has repeatedly said it opposes having Nato troops on the ground in Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying last week that Moscow would view that as a “direct threat” to Russia’s sovereignty, even if the troops operated there under a different flag.

Asked about Trump’s comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from publicly contradicting the US president, but effectively reaffirmed Russia’s opposition to the idea. “There is a position on this matter that was expressed by the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. I have nothing to add to this and nothing to comment on. I leave this without comment,” said Peskov.

Trump said on Monday that both he and Putin accepted the idea of European peacekeepers in Ukraine if a settlement was reached to end the war. “Yeah, he will accept that,” Trump said. “I specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”

Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, did not respond directly to the Kremlin’s latest comment, saying the Trump administration would continue to work with Moscow and Kyiv to end the war. He said Trump’s commitment to achieving an end to the war and then establishing the framework for a lasting peace would not be negotiated through the media.

Macron to brief EU leaders today

Ahead of an emergency summit on European support for Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron will brief fellow EU leaders on Wednesday on his talks with US President Donald Trump.

Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the bloc’s 27 member states, announced on X he had convened a videoconference with Macron to prepare for the March 6 leaders’ talks.

Europe has scrambled for a unified response since Trump two weeks ago declared his readiness to negotiate with Russia — and without European involvement — on ending the three-year-old Ukraine war.

The French leader warned at the White House that peace cannot mean the “surrender” of Ukraine. “We want a quick deal but not a fragile one,” said Macron, who insisted any settlement must include US security guarantees for Kyiv to prevent any future Russian assault.

In parallel, the US sided with Russia in two votes at the UN on Monday to avoid condemning Moscow’s campaign against Ukraine. Trump’s embrace of Russia has sparked fears that it could herald the end of US support for Kyiv and a major change in attitude to the rest of Europe.

Starmer hopes to bridge gap

On the other hand, the British premier will seek to build on Mr Macron’s case that peace could not mean the “surrender” of Ukraine. Keir Starmer will visit the White House on Thursday to try to convince Trump to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any ceasefire agreement with Russia.

Starmer hopes to act as a “bridge” between America and Europe, but Trump’s unpredictability will make for a nervy meeting in the Oval office.

He turn will try to perform a diplomatic high-wire act by sticking up for Kyiv without annoying Trump.

“Starmer will be very reluctant to publicly critique Trump’s stance but he will have to find ways to diplomatically do so, for the sake of Ukraine,” said Evie Aspinall, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think-tank.

London and Paris are spearheading proposals to send a European “reassurance force” of fewer than 30,000 soldiers to protect Ukraine in the event the war ends.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2025