
The Foreign Minister emphasized the necessity for Ukraine to have a proactive role in peace negotiations regarding its conflict with Russia, asserting that Volodymyr Zelensky is the “natural and entirely legitimate interlocutor.”
In remarks to reporters shortly after the commencement of a ministerial meeting in Brussels, Paulo Rangel stated that Ukraine should actively participate in all negotiation efforts aimed at conflict resolution, including preliminary discussions that have already occurred between Washington and Moscow.
He also mentioned that the European Union (EU), given its extensive support over the past three years to the nation facing Russian invasion and its commitment to reconstruction, must be included in the discussions.
“The EU, as a whole, firmly supports the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and its right to self-determination […], and this stance will remain unchanged,” the Portuguese leader affirmed, coinciding with the third anniversary of the Russian invasion.
While not directly responding to the recent remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Zelensky, the Foreign Minister stressed the importance of engaging with this interlocutor in any negotiations.
Paulo Rangel noted that the European Union acknowledges Volodymyr Zelensky as “Ukraine’s natural and politically legitimate interlocutor,” asserting that “this is a principle that must not be compromised.”
This past Sunday, the Ukrainian president stated he would consider stepping down if it would facilitate NATO membership for Ukraine and advance the peace process.
In the previous week, Donald Trump had critiqued the Ukrainian leader, labeling him “a dictator” lacking democratic legitimacy.













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