TRANSCRIPT
When Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to the main stage at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, he had the support of the room before he opened his mouth.
And when he did, it was a call to arms.
"I really, I really believe that the time has come the armed forces of Europe must be created. Without Ukraine, the European army will not be enough to stop Russia."
Almost exactly three years after his country was invaded by Russia, a defiant Mr Zelenskyy told E-U leaders this is a time to break from the United States and to unite.
He was voicing his concern at being excluded from a planned meeting this week between the White House and Kremlin.
Russian media is reporting the U-S and Russian Presidents will meet in Riyadh on Tuesday but that's yet to be confirmed.
Absent from the EU summit, President Donald Trump told reporters his team was working hard to broker peace in discussions with Vladimir Putin.
"I think he wants to stop fighting. I see that. We spoke long and hard. Steve Witkoff, who was with him for a very extended period, like about three hours. I think he wants to stop fighting. They have a big, powerful machine, you understand that."
Ukraine and the EU have not been invited to the negotiating table.
President Trump's Middle East Envoy, Steven Witkoff, has dismissed concerns Ukraine is being excluded from decisions about its future.
"Well, I think Ukraine is part of the talks. The President had their President Zelenskyy on the phone this past week. I am pretty sure a lot of our cabinet people, including Treasurer Secretary Scott Bessent; the Vice President; our Secretary of State Marco Rubio - have been meeting with various Ukrainian people at the Munich Security Conference. I don't think this is about excluding anybody in fact it's about including everybody."
That assertion has done nothing to appease the international community.
In response to the US-Kremlin talks, France is hosting an emergency meeting for European leaders within the next 24 hours.
Ahead of that meeting, U-K Prime Minister Kier Starmer says he is prepared to send British troops to uphold peace in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in the Ukraine capital, Kyiv, residents have voiced their concern over the impending meeting in Riyadh.
“It will provoke a world war. There is nothing else I can say about these negotiations. We are at war, so it’s okay, but poor Europe. I think this is another step towards a world war. President Trump is trying to pacify the aggressor.”
In recent weeks, Donald Trump has been explicit in calls for Ukraine to back down over its plans to uphold its 2014 borders.
He's called on Volodymr Zelenskyy to cede territory to Russia to end the war.
That is not an acceptable outcome to the Ukraine government - or to residents who were asked about the latest developments on the streets of the capital.
“I believe there should be justice for Ukraine. Because I consider the ceasefire to be our defeat. We have been destroyed for so long. How many heroes died? What is the reconciliation?"
Mr Zelenskky has also rejected a draft proposal which would have given the United States ownership of half the country's critical minerals.
Ukraine originally suggested the minerals deal but its leader says this draft does not provide adequate security protections.
"In Ukraine these are investments - and this should be stated legally in a proper and correct way. And this is an investment, and you can think about how to distribute profits from it - if it is all connected with security guarantees, and I have not yet seen this connection in the document."
Mr Zelenskyy has arrived in the United Arab Emirates but his advisors say neither he nor his representatives will meet the Russians in the immediate future.
The widespread diplomatic disquiet over the situation was apparent in the closing speech at the security conference in Munich.
The summit's chair, Christoph Heusgen condemned the US move to shut the EU out of talks over Ukraine.
"After the speech of Vice President Vance on Friday, we have to fear that our common value base is not that common anymore. I'm very grateful to all those European politicians that spoke out and reaffirmed the values and principles that they are defending. No-one did this better than President Zelenskyy."
Mr Heusgen was visibly distressed as he spoke about the erosion of international values of upholding democracy.
"Let me conclude. and this becomes difficult."
