Media: US assures EU it will be involved in Ukraine peace deal

US officials have assured their European counterparts that the European Union will be involved in any peace deal on Ukraine.

Bloomberg sources noted that the United States has recently made it clear to Europeans that the priority is to end hostilities in the war unleashed by Russia and discuss issues such as potential security measures for Ukraine afterwards.

This may provide some reassurance to allies worried that the US will seek a deal without involving European leaders, which could weaken both Ukraine and European security. Up until now, President Donald Trump has largely kept Europe out of his conversations with Ukraine and Russia.

Additionally, US officials have repeatedly assured their allies that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until a deal is reached. They have also stated that they are prepared to escalate pressure on the Kremlin, particularly in the energy sector, if Russia fails to cooperate.

During a conversation with Trump, Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin once again rejected the US proposal for a 30-day complete ceasefire, which Ukraine had previously agreed to. Instead, he backed a commitment from both parties to "refrain" from attacking energy facilities for 30 days.

The parties also agreed to discuss "the safety of shipping in the Black Sea" and to set up Russian and American expert groups to discuss the "Ukrainian settlement".

Following the conversation, the White House said that peace talks on the Russo-Ukrainian war should "begin immediately in the Middle East".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Putin had effectively rejected the proposal for a complete ceasefire by launching a large-scale drone attack on Ukrainian cities on the night of 18-19 March.