US and Russia prepare for peace talks... Ukraine not invited: France decides on emergency summit

12punto FOREIGN NEWS

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff have completed their preparations to attend meetings in Saudi Arabia aimed at finding a solution to the Russia-Ukraine war. US officials stated that the meetings would begin in the coming days but did not provide a specific date. While reports in the press claimed that Ukraine would not participate in the talks, Zelenskyy stated that the war is ongoing and that Ukraine must be decisive in the negotiations. European countries, for their part, argued that they should be present at any peace talks held with Russia.

A phone call took place between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Rubio. A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that the call was held at the request of the US side. During the conversation between the two ministers, steps toward resolving issues in US-Russia relations were discussed, alongside developments in Ukraine, Palestine, and the Middle East.

In a statement to Russia's state news agency TASS, Lavrov reported that his meeting with his US counterpart Rubio was 'positive'

While it is not yet clear which officials from Russia will participate in the negotiations, reports noted that a negotiating team including high-level figures from the Kremlin has been formed. US President Donald Trump announced last week that the parties would meet in Saudi Arabia.

The statement indicated that an agreement had been reached for experts to meet to remove obstacles facing diplomatic missions. It was also noted that preparations for a potential summit between the two countries would continue.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that they would do their best to end the Ukraine war

UKRAINE REFUSED TO GIVE ITS MINERALS TO THE US

Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy, in his remarks at the Munich Security Conference, emphasized that his country must play a decisive role in the negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Stating that foreign troops should be deployed in Ukraine for the country's security, Zelenskyy called on the US to be involved in this process. Reminding that the US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, will visit Ukraine next week, Zelenskyy invited Kellogg to conduct inspections on the front lines.

Zelenskyy said, ''The war is continuing in Ukraine. Therefore, Ukraine must decide who sits at the negotiating table.''

Responding to claims in the press, Zelenskyy also announced that despite pressure from the US, he refused to sign an agreement that would have transferred half of Ukraine's rare earth elements to US companies. The Ukrainian leader stated that the agreement was not yet ready in line with his country's interests and that it must include security guarantees.

In a video message evaluating his contacts in Germany, Zelenskyy said that they have started working with Trump's team and that they believe they will achieve success. Expressing that a real peace is possible with the contributions of the US and Europe, Zelenskyy used the phrase, 'Real peace is possible.'

Ukraine is known as the country with the richest rare element and critical mineral deposits in Europe. 20 percent of rare element deposits and more than 70 percent of mineral deposits have come under Russian control following the war

FRANCE TO HOLD SUMMIT ON 'TRUMP' AND 'RUSSIA'

It was reported that French President Emmanuel Macron will hold an emergency summit in Paris on February 17 to address 'Trump' and the Ukraine-Russia War. While Polish Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorski announced that they would attend the summit, he emphasized that European leaders must take the issues raised by Trump seriously.

On the other hand, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, in his speech at the 61st Munich Security Conference, stated that the EU would retaliate in the event of a trade war. Noting that Europe was the region that fought most effectively against the COVID-19 pandemic, Barrot expressed his belief that the EU is a superpower.

Macron has been calling for the establishment of a 'European army' for some time. While Zelenskyy announced that he supports this idea of Macron's, Italy insists that such an initiative is 'unnecessary'

Barrot made the following statements in his speech:

''If the EU is subjected to a trade war, regardless of its source, it will retaliate. We have done it in the past. We will do it again. We will defend our interests. It was the continent that repelled the large-scale invasion of Russia, which was thought to be the world's greatest military power. Russia has failed to achieve its goals.''

Explaining that the EU is in the process of increasing its defense spending, Barrot stated that citizens would accept allocating an additional portion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense. Barrot said, 'We are slowly preparing for this.'

Drawing attention to the importance of defense investments for Europe's independence, Barrot said:

'We will need to ensure that our citizens, who have experienced the dividends of peace in this century without experiencing security concerns, reconsider their perspectives on how we form our national budget and consent to the sacrifices and efforts required to build our independence in the field of security.'

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot

News Source: 12punto