MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. The European Union is seeking to insert itself in negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict, and China’s top diplomat traveled to India amid warming ties. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump plans to abolish mail-in voting. These stories topped Wednesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
The European Union is seeking to involve itself in negotiations between Moscow, Washington, and Kiev. French President Emmanuel Macron earlier proposed sending a European representative to a potential trilateral meeting between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine. Even as European leaders could be invited to join the process, their participation may add further hurdles to conflict settlement at this stage, experts argue. The Europeans seem to be attempting to create extra challenges for Russia.
The August 15 meeting between Russian and US presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Anchorage alarmed European leaders who support the idea of sending more lethal weapons to Kiev. On Tuesday, Europe held two major meetings as the `coalition of the willing’ and the European Council convened via video link.
The `coalition of the willing’ agreed to hold more meetings with the United States to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, The Guardian reported, citing a statement. And President of the European Council Antonio Costa said following a video conference of the members that it is necessary to introduce security guarantees that would be similar to Article 5 of NATO’s Charter on collective defense involving the United States. Also, he called on the EU to increase military support to Ukraine and expand anti-Russian sanctions further.
