EU's top diplomat warns Trump that peace deal may not be upheld unless Europe is included in talks

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has stated that Europeans will not be able to help implement a ceasefire agreement in the three-year full-scale war if US President Donald Trump does not include them in the negotiation process.

Trump, who is expected to sign an agreement with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on mineral resources on Friday, 28 February, has refused to provide Ukraine with US security guarantees, stating that this is Europe's responsibility.

Kallas emphasised in an interview with AFP during her visit to Washington that Europeans must be involved in any agreement concerning Ukraine.

"We need to be part of those discussions. I think without it, we can’t provide anything," she said.

In a speech at the White House on Wednesday, 26 February, Trump also claimed that the European Union was created to "screw the United States" and announced plans for tariffs to address the trade deficit.

Kallas described Trump's remarks as "surprising" and said that both sides have long shared common values.

She acknowledged that Europe "will not be able to fill the gap that America is leaving" but stressed that the world is watching to see what more Europe can do.

"I feel that we need to also increase our geopolitical power," she said.

"If America is turning inwards, Europe is turning outwards," the EU’s chief diplomat added.

Kallas also stressed that NATO membership remains the only effective security guarantee for Ukraine.

Media reports suggest that the United Kingdom and France have prepared a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European troops in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the United States has expressed support for the European mission but declined to participate directly.