European Leaders Hail Washington Talks Progress on Ukraine

On August 18, the leaders of several European countries, along with the leaders of the European Union and NATO, made statements following a series of meetings in Washington. These meetings included a bilateral meeting between the Ukrainian President and the U.S. President, as well as multilateral discussions involving multiple European leaders.

The German Chancellor emphasized the importance of pressuring Russia to stop the conflict before further negotiations can take place. The Chancellor welcomed the U.S. President's announcement to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, stating that Ukraine should not be forced to make territorial concessions. The Chancellor also noted that the meetings exceeded expectations and that the entire European continent should be involved in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. The Chancellor mentioned that the U.S. President had spoken with the Russian President and agreed to a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents within two weeks, although the location has not yet been determined. A three-way meeting involving the U.S. President is also planned to follow.

The French President stated that the location for the meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents would be determined within a few hours. The President also mentioned that if the process is hindered, additional pressure will need to be applied to Russia. The President expressed that a three-way meeting could take place within two to three weeks and that Europeans must have a seat at the negotiating table.

The British Prime Minister described the Washington talks as achieving "real progress." The Prime Minister highlighted two significant outcomes: the agreement for a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents and the formation of a "coalition of the willing" to work with the U.S. in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of these developments for the security of Ukraine and Europe.

The Finnish President described the negotiations as constructive, with agreements reached on security guarantees and next steps. However, the specific details of the U.S.'s involvement in providing security guarantees were not yet clear and were expected to be announced by the U.S. side within the following week. The President mentioned the goal of establishing a security guarantee with the U.S., including discussions on the fifth security guarantee.

The NATO Secretary General described the day as very successful, with discussions focusing on security guarantees. The Secretary General noted that while the U.S. and other countries oppose Ukraine's membership in NATO, the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine through NATO countries. The Secretary General also mentioned that the fifth security guarantee was discussed, but there was no talk of deploying ground troops.

The President of the European Commission expressed the urgent need to end the casualties caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasizing that every Ukrainian child should be reunited with their family.

Overall, the meetings in Washington resulted in significant progress towards resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with European leaders emphasizing the importance of their involvement in the negotiations and the need for a ceasefire before further discussions can take place. The U.S. has agreed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine and will continue to supply weapons through NATO countries, although the specifics of their involvement are yet to be announced. The upcoming meetings between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents, as well as the three-way meeting involving the U.S. President, are expected to play a crucial role in the resolution of the conflict.