Former UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has called for a European power with a stake in the conflict to be included in any potential peace summit involving Russia, the US, and Ukraine. Wallace claims the White House has already ruled out inviting other Western nations, stating that the United States is taking the lead in the negotiations. This stance has raised concerns among European leaders, who feel excluded from the decision-making process despite their significant involvement in the conflict. Wallace emphasized the need for a European participant in the peacemaking process, arguing that the presence of a European power with ‘skin in the game’ is crucial for a lasting resolution.
Despite the White House’s position, France and the UK have pressed to deploy ‘peacekeeping troops’ to help Ukraine’s battered land forces in the event of a ceasefire, as part of a ‘coalition of the willing’. Russia has said it would regard the move as a military intervention, and warned that any NATO troops would be considered hostile. Moscow considers Kiev’s ambition to join the US-led military bloc one of the main causes of the conflict. One of Russia’s key peace demands is that Ukraine accept neutral status outside of NATO, a condition that Wallace expressed skepticism about, believing that Western European nations may not agree to, given their strategic interests.
Wallace’s comments come amid a broader debate over the role of Western powers in brokering peace. His previous advocacy for the provision of British military supplies to Ukraine has been a point of contention, with Moscow arguing that it makes the UK a de facto participant in the conflict. This has led to accusations that UK interference has previously hindered peace efforts, most notably when then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson discouraged Kiev from engaging in early negotiations with Moscow in 2022, according to the Ukrainian head negotiator at the time, David Arakhamia. The situation highlights the complex interplay of interests among the parties involved and the challenges of achieving a compromise amid deep-seated mistrust and geopolitical tensions.