EUROPE has been warned its “destiny is on the line” over Ukraine peace talks after Vladimir Putin claimed he is “ready right now” for World War Three.
Ukraine’s closest allies have been told they must demand Vlad and his cronies are held accountable for stalling peace efforts after another failed set of talks in Moscow.
Delegations from the US and Russia met up on Tuesday to discuss a new peace plan around how to end the nearly four-year war.
The meeting started later than expected following on from Putin’s public message to Europe warning they may be on a warpath if they try to influence future negotiations.
But when the delegations left Moscow, the Kremlin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, said: “We are no closer to resolving the crisis.”
Trump sent across his two top peace negotiators in Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff but even they couldn’t tame the tyrant.
Nato foreign ministers are now expected to be briefed on exactly what went down in the behind closed doors meeting later today.
Dozens of top officials are in Brussels for a summit which is set to be dominated by the peace talks.
Ministers have been speaking about the past 24 hours with many voicing their grave concerns for what an anti-Ukraine deal could mean for the continent.
Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, warned: “Europe’s destiny is on the line.
“We all want this war to end, and we welcome peace efforts, but it’s imperative that the outcome is a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
As Finland’s foreign minister, Elina Valtonen, blasted Russia for being “not willing to compromise”.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte played down Putin’s WW3 rhetoric but did say the alliance must keep up their support for Ukraine.
He said the best way to force Putin to agree to a fair peace deal would be to make his men’s lives on the battlefield as tough as possible.
The stronger position Russia is in on the frontline the stronger position they take to the negotiating table.
Rutte urged European leaders to keep sending their best weapons to Kyiv so they can defend themselves as best as possible and hold onto territory.
This message has already been acted on with Norway, Poland and Germany all pledging another £377m to buy weapons for Ukraine.
Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha blasted Putin for wasting the world’s time.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper added the Russian tyrant should “end the bluster and the bloodshed”.
One of Europe’s greatest concerns stems from the fear that Russia will string along the US in order to get what they want out of the conflict.
Or they could wrap up a peace deal over the head of Ukraine – leaving the entire continent vulnerable.
European leaders have been demanding a seat at the table for months now but are yet to have a firm voice in negotiations.
Their best effort saw them work with Ukraine to create a counter peace plan in response to one created by the US and Russia.
The 28-point plan was based on many of Putin’s demands which he told Trump about during their Alaskan summit.
It was reportedly devised by Witkoff and Kremlin official Krill Dmitriev.
The plan was seen as highly favourable towards Russia and included Ukraine halving their armed forces and giving up swathes of territory.
Ukraine and their European allies said it would be impossible to ever agree to such terms.
They instead joined forces to redraft a tighter 19-point plan in Geneva which “refines” what the US had proposed.
Will Trump bring peace in Ukraine?
By Jerome Starkey, Defence Editor
DONALD Trump is not a details man. He wants a deal at any price (as long as he is not paying for it) to end the war in Ukraine.
He doesn’t seem to care if it hobbles Ukraine, humiliates Europe and rewards Russian aggression.
He doesn’t seem to care if it is drafted by Russia, tramples on Nato and encourages tyrants everywhere to take neighbouring land by force. (Taiwan beware).
Those are details. Minor details. Unless, of course, you are Europe or Ukraine. In which case they are fundamental.
Any sane person who understands war wants a ceasefire yesterday.
But how this war ends matters. Both for Ukraine’s survival and to avoid future war in Europe.
Russia must be deterred. It must pay a price for this war and know the bill for the next would be higher.
We should take it with a pinch of salt when US officials say the deal is done, save for some “minor details”.
These minor details are “major issues” in the words of Finland’s President Alex Stubb. President Zelensky said yesterday there is still “much work” to do.
In fact, these minor details are 44,000 square miles – some 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory – an area the size of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.
They are questions like who controls Crimea, the Donbas and occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
They are questions like who guarantees Ukraine’s security against a third Russian invasion.
Ukraine wants peace more than anyone. But not peace at any price. It wants a peace that lasts. Russia wants a conquest.
This is expected to have discussed in Moscow on Tuesday but it is unclear if the five-hour talks broke any new ground.
Before the meeting started however, Putin had already started spouting threats at Europe for their involvement.
War-hungry Putin raged that Russia is “ready right now” to fight with Europe.
Mad Vlad hinted Russia was ready for World War Three saying: “We’re not going to fight Europe, but if Europe wants to fight us, we’re ready right now.”
The despot also said that European powers were making demands on a possible peace settlement for Ukraine that Moscow considers absolutely unacceptable.
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting dismissed the comments as the “same old sabre-rattling” from Moscow.
He added that “we do take the threat from Russia seriously” and that the Government is “prioritising investment in defence”.
