US midterms gave ‘new urgency’ to Ukraine war talks, Germany says

BERLIN - The German government said on Nov 6 the US midterm elections, which saw a rout for President Donald Trump’s Republicans, had given a “new urgency” to efforts to end the war in Ukraine.On the night of Nov 5, Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke by phone to discuss the conflict, said Merz’s spokesman Stefan Kornelius.Trump had told reporters in the White House on Nov 5 he was expecting a “very big” deal with Russia involving not only Ukraine but “all of Europe” after meeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s envoy.“Clearly, after the midterms, there is a new feeling of urgency,” Kornelius said.Talks aimed at ending the war are scheduled for next week in Abu Dhabi and will be held with US mediation.Kornelius said Germany was “closely involved” in preparations for those negotiations “together with our partners in the E3 and others in Europe”.“The German government is in agreement with the American government” over central points in the talks, Kornelius said, including that “NATO partners must be on board” in the process.“Talks about European security and peace in Ukraine affect Europe to its core and therefore talks with no European participation are not useful,” he said.Jared Kushner, Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, said on Nov 5 that the United States would “consult closely with our European partners on the sidelines” of the Abu Dhabi talks, and “if progress is made, aim to move towards a broader multilateral format with their direct participation”. AFP