Brusels, March 20
European countries have had mixed reactions to a phone conversation held between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which initial steps toward peace in Ukraine were discussed.

In its readout of the call, the White House said on Wednesday that the two leaders agreed on the need to end the three-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict with a lasting peace, on starting the process "with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire," and on soon launching technical negotiations on a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, as well as a full ceasefire and a permanent peace deal, Xinhua news agency reported.

The focal points of the Kremlin readout include Russia's requirements for a Trump-proposed 30-day ceasefire. Putin emphasised that a complete end to foreign military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine is key to preventing conflict escalation and reaching a political and diplomatic settlement.

Hours after the Trump-Putin phone call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country supports any proposals leading to a lasting and just peace, but his country's direct involvement in peace negotiations is needed. "Without Ukraine's involvement, I believe reaching an agreement is futile," he said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa jointly called for "a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine," expressing hope that the phone call marks progress in this direction and reaffirming their steadfast support for Ukraine.

During their meeting in Berlin on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the Trump-Putin phone call as an important step, while reaffirming support for Ukraine's full involvement in peace talks, saying no decisions about Ukraine's future should be made "over the heads" of the Ukrainian people.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar also welcomed the Trump-Putin call, saying that they agreed on the need for mutual communication and the search for sustainable solutions "so that similar conflicts aren't repeated."

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the US and Russian presidents "have taken another big step toward peace, and we hope Brussels will not be able to prevent a peace agreement."

Meanwhile, others adopted a more cautious approach in assessing the implications. "I think there will be more talks at various levels... From what is happening right now, I would not draw hasty or far-reaching conclusions," Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics commented.

Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Marian Jurecka said that the phone call had not provided an outline of a real solution to the Ukraine crisis. "The phone call, even though it is being cheered ... has probably not brought anything real to the problems we have here today," he was quoted by the Czech News Agency as saying.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares was also cautious about the prospects for peace, saying, "It's positive that there's talk of a ceasefire.... but we're still very far from the peace that Spain and the European people want."

Given that Europe has once again been sidelined in addressing the Ukraine crisis, there are growing calls for Ukraine and European nations to have a role in the peace talks.

"There is also no doubt that within the European Union, there is broad consensus that any peace process for Ukraine and this conflict must involve Ukraine itself and the EU ...," Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said.

Noting that there is still "a long way" to go for a "complete ceasefire," French government spokesperson Sophie Primas stressed that the phone call between Trump and Putin cannot result in an agreement "as long as the Ukrainians and the Europeans are not involved in the discussions."

Finnish President Alexander Stubb emphasised that, besides the Ukrainian, Russian, and US teams, there should also be a European team in the talks.

Mixed reactions from European countries to Trump-Putin call on Ukraine