Plenković: Europe needs strong visibility of someone who can manage the peace negotiations process on its behalf

Emphasizing that it is necessary for Europe to be represented in the peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Prime Minister Plenković believes that it should be clearly determined who will represent it at the table, warning of the ambiguities that arise in this issue given the numerous different formats that represent the European Union and Europe. This should be a person who is highly respected by everyone, who will be respected in both Moscow and Kiev, who has the support of the US and European countries and other leaders. We need strong visibility of someone who can lead this process, the Prime Minister said in Munich, where he is attending the International Security Conference.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković participated today in Munich in the main debate on the topic of European security, alongside the President of Finland Alexander Stubb, the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs and the Prime Minister of Iceland Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir.

Asked whether he believes the rise of the far-right in Europe is affecting its security, the Prime Minister argued that the far-right has exploited the fear of European citizens about illegal migration and its consequences for European security and way of life.

At the same time, many of these parties, when looking at their foreign policy narratives, are full of understanding towards Moscow, he warned.

He also compared the current situation with the Helsinki Conference of 1975, given that today's panel is being held under the title "European Security Architecture 50 Years After Helsinki", emphasizing that the Conference on European Security and Cooperation was held at a time of détente and that it consequently contributed to the dismantling of communist regimes on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain.

Russia was significantly weakened in the 1990s, Prime Minister Plenković said, pointing to Putin's main goal, which is precisely to correct, as he sees them, the mistakes of earlier Russian leaders and return to a position of strength in which he controls his neighborhood rather than someone else.

The UN is blocked because of Russia, and instead of consensus, the policy of confrontation is at work

This is also visible in the example of Ukraine, said the Prime Minister, drawing attention to three different narratives in the first three years of Russian aggression. In the first year, there was the negation of the Ukrainians, whom Putin called "little Russians", in the second, the narrative of the conflict with NATO followed, and in the third, the invocation of a new world order.

The main problem for international relations is when one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council starts behaving contrary to international law and the system that has been in force for 80 years, Prime Minister Plenković believes, adding that the UN, as an organization based on consensus, is blocked, and a policy of confrontation is at work.

He also referred to the announcements of the new US administration of President Trump regarding peace negotiations.

In order to understand what is currently happening, Prime Minister Plenković said that it is important to understand that the first and second aggressions against Ukraine, the one in 2014 and the one in 2022, took place during the administrations of the Democratic Party in the USA.

Europe cannot be left out of the peace negotiations

Therefore, from the perspective of President Trump, there is no identification with those two wars, given that in his first term he said that he was a president of peace, and he says so now, in his second term.

And it is also evident from the initiatives towards the Middle East, as well as towards Ukraine, that the main goal of the Trump administration is to stop the killing.

However, Prime Minister Plenković said, the solution cannot be just a ceasefire, with everything else postponed so that someone else can then resolve the issue of territorial integrity and the return of occupied Ukrainian regions at some future time.

Therefore, from a European perspective, it is a question of the transatlantic dialogue, whether it will be different in the future and whether Europe and the USA will be together on key issues or not.

Considering how much Europe has helped Ukraine, militarily, financially, humanitarianly, energetically and in other ways, Prime Minister Plenković does not see a scenario in which Europe would be left out of the peace negotiations.

This point of view, he added, is shared by President Zelensky and all European partners.

He recalled the 16 package of sanctions against Russia, which he considers a strong response by the European Union that has not been seen before against anyone else.

The key to understanding the Ukrainian position, the Prime Minister emphasized, is to recall the Budapest memorandum when the Ukrainians gave up their nuclear arsenal in exchange for the security that was guaranteed to them.

This did not happen, and they were deceived also after the Minsk agreement was not implemented.

If these peace negotiations resulted in the aggressor gaining more territory, the Ukrainians would be deceived a third time.

For the sake of the outcome of the negotiations, it is important to continue strengthening Ukraine militarily

Given that Croatia was also a victim of aggression, Prime Minister Plenković recalled that it managed to return its occupied territories using two methods.

The first method was military actions, which a strengthened Croatia was able to carry out. That balance of power, he said, is a very important part. That is why it is important to continue to strengthen Ukraine militarily.

The second method was the peaceful reintegration of the occupied territories.

He believes that, in terms of peace negotiations, Europe should clearly determine who will represent it at the table, warning of the ambiguities that arise in this issue given the numerous different formats that represent the European Union, or Europe.

This should be a person who is highly respected by everyone, who will be respected in both Moscow and Kiev, who has the support of the US and European countries and other leaders.

We need strong visibility of someone strong who can lead this process, he concluded.

News