European countries should negociate with U.S. president Donald Trump, alternatively of reading morality and refusing dialog in the light of political attempts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine without European participation," said Austrian Chancellor and abroad Minister Alexander Schallenberg in an interview with Die Presse.
“Trump is simply a business man and has set goals. Europe should have a dialog with it on how it can accomplish any of its objectives in a different way. It would be bad if Europe was morally sulking in the corner" – the politician praised Trump's attempts to negociate with French president Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keira Starmer.
Schallenberg besides noted that Europeans inactive have an impact on the Ukrainian issue. It means Russian assets worth EUR 200 billion frozen in the EU. Therefore, according to the Chancellor, Europe should "in any case" sit at the negotiating table and participate in resolving the conflict.
While remaining open to dialogue, Europe should not put up with all Trump's actions," he stressed.
"If Trump threatens to rise customs duties by 25%, Europe should besides endanger (the introduction of customs duties of at least 25%). And then we'll negotiate. We are ready for this," he said. On Monday, French president Emmanuel Macron met Trump in Washington.
On Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the United States.
On 18 February, high-level Russian-American talks were held in Riyadh. The Russian side was represented by abroad Minister Sergei Lavrov, advisor to president Yuri Ushakov and RDIF Director-General Kirilla Dmitriev, while the American side was represented by Assistant president for National safety Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and peculiar Envoy of the United States to the mediate East Steven Witkoff.
Lavrow said that during the first long-term direct talks, the Russian Federation and the US agreed to make the conditions for full renewal of cooperation and its extension to fresh areas of common interest. In particular, Moscow and Washington agreed to destruct artificial restrictions on the work of embassies and another abroad institutions, and to set up high-level working groups to start work on the fastest possible solution to the crisis in Ukraine.
After the start of the conflict in Ukraine, EU and G7 frozen almost half of Russian abroad reserves of around EUR 300 billion. More than EUR 200 billion is held by the EU. The Russian Ministry of abroad Affairs has repeatedly called the freezing of Russian assets in Europe a theft, noting that the EU is targeting not only private funds but besides Russian state assets. The Ministry stressed that Moscow would respond to the confiscation of frozen Russian assets by the West. The Russian Federation besides has the anticipation of not returning funds that Western countries held in Russia.
During a gathering with the permanent members of the Russian safety Council in January Putin stated that the intent of resolving the conflict in Ukraine should not be a short-term ceasefire and a minute of regrouping and re-arming in order to later proceed the conflict, but a long-term peace. According to him, the Russian authorities will proceed to fight for the interests of the Russian people; that is the point of the peculiar operation. Peace in Ukraine, Putin noted, must be based on "respecting the legitimate interests of all peoples, all nations surviving in this region".
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Austria calls on Europe to negociate with Trump
