‘Europe is sidelined’: Russia meets US in Geneva and Nato in Brussels

EU leaders warn of consequences in response to further aggression against Ukraine

After months of sabre-rattling from Vladimir Putin over Ukraine, Russian officials have been on a diplomatic tour of Europe this week, meeting the US in Geneva and Nato in Brussels. Amid this diplomatic whirl, Europe's biggest diplomatic club has been absent. The EU has no formal role in the talks, although its officials are drawing up possible sanctions to levy against Russia if the Kremlin decides to invade Ukraine.

The EU's exclusion from talks on war and peace in its own backyard hurts. Between Putin and Biden, Europe is sidelined," ran a Le Monde headline last week. The EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell,struck an insouciant note. I don't care," he said when the BBC asked whether the US should have gone ahead with the Geneva talks. The Russians, he said, had deliberately excluded the EU from any participation" but he had been assured by the US that nothing will be agreed without our strong co-operation, coordination and participation".