The key facts
- Pyotr Tolstoy called European countries the 'losing side' because of their support for Ukraine
- In his view, geography allows Europe to take part in the settlement but does not give it a priority position
- Earlier, the deputy said the ceasefire was seen by Europe as a pretext for deploying troops of a 'coalition of the willing'
Statement by the head of the State Duma's international affairs committee
European countries will not be able to count on having the decisive say in determining the terms for ending the Ukrainian conflict, because they are on the losing side. This opinion was expressed to TASS by Pyotr Tolstoy, head of the State Duma committee on international affairs. According to him, European states found themselves among the losers because of their support for Ukraine from the very beginning of the conflict.
Participation — yes, priority — no
The deputy suggested that the European Union's position may be taken into account when discussing Ukraine's future, but, in his words, the opinion of European states will not be decisive. The geographical position, as he noted, allows Europe to claim participation in the settlement, but does not make its position a priority in discussions of future agreements.
Earlier: the ceasefire as a 'pass' for troops
Earlier, Tolstoy stated that European countries hoped to achieve a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine in order to then send their troops there under the flag of a 'coalition of the willing.' According to him, Russia will not allow such a scenario to be realized.
