German defence minister: Better if US didn't make concessions before talks

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, commenting on US President Donald Trump's phone call with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, emphasised that Europe must also be part of these discussions.

Pistorius said in an interview with The Guardian that Europe must be involved in the negotiations, especially if Trump expects European allies to take on a peacekeeping role in any future agreement, as suggested by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.  

He added that if Putin is serious about peace talks, he must prove it by halting attacks on Ukraine.  

Pistorius also cautioned that "it would be better if the US did not offer concessions to Russia before negotiations even begin", referring to issues like Ukraine’s NATO membership or any territorial compromises.  

The German defence minister stressed that a quick peace deal will not necessarily address all concerns about Russia’s actions in the region. He warned that Europe cannot afford to "sit back and relax".  

In addition, Pistorius urged caution against overly optimistic reactions to the prospect of peace talks, noting that Putin continues to provoke Europe and remains a threat.

On 12 February, Hegseth said that restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is not a realistic goal and that the US does not consider Ukraine’s NATO membership a likely outcome of any peace agreement.  

He also said that, moving forward, Europe should take on the primary role in supplying both lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine.