NYT learned about the West's elaboration of an alternative format for negotiations on Ukraine

French, German and British diplomats are working on the format of future possible negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, fearing that the United States will be excluded from them. This was reported by The New York Times on August 15.

"Three European countries, fearing to be excluded by the President [of the United States Donald] Trump's withdrawal from any negotiations to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is working together to ensure Europe has a place at the negotiating table," the newspaper writes, citing five anonymous European officials.

According to the newspaper, European diplomats are working on the format of future negotiations in order to protect European interests. They will be conducted under the leadership of France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

According to two senior European diplomats and a senior European official, France and Germany play a leading role in shaping the European position. At the same time, the UK is being very cautious, as its new prime Minister, Andy Burnham, "is afraid to test his relationship with Trump." Britain, France and Germany believe that they should be the "key negotiators" in support of Ukraine, three European officials said.

Guarantee lesson: Moscow considers it necessary to participate externally in negotiations with Kiev

Who brought the dialogue to a dead end and why did the Anchorage understandings not lead to peace

Celso Amorim, the Brazilian president's chief adviser on international affairs, said during a meeting of the parliamentary commission on International Relations and National Defense (CREDN) on August 12 that Western European countries were asking Brazil to help organize a dialogue with Russia. According to the adviser, Brazil adheres to a neutral position and advocates a multipolar world order that does not automatically involve joining individual political groups.

On July 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, Philippines. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry told the American Secretary of State about the real state of affairs on the line of combat contact in Ukraine. Lavrov drew Rubio's attention to Moscow's willingness to resolve the conflict through diplomacy. The Secretary of State, in turn, called the talks frank and good, but stated the need to find "new ideas" on Ukraine.