GENEVA

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Monday said European leaders will meet in Paris to address how to prevent peace negotiations on Ukraine from rewarding Russian "aggression."

"It is clear that a war of aggression cannot be rewarded. We cannot encourage others to launch a war," Albares said in an interview with Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

The summit, called by French President Emmanuel Macron, comes amid concerns sparked by the new US administration, including President Donald Trump’s direct engagement with Russia and his administration’s intention to exclude the EU from Ukraine peace talks.

Albares stressed that Europe’s role in shaping the conflict’s outcome is critical, noting that many questions remain regarding these negotiations.

"Nobody is considering sending troops to Ukraine because peace is still very far away," he said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will bomb Ukraine again today and tomorrow too."

"I do not see peace on the horizon, although we must consider how to help achieve peace as soon as possible," Albares said.

His remarks come after the Kremlin confirmed that a Russia-US meeting will take place in Saudi Arabia Tuesday focusing, among other things, on preparations for negotiations on a settlement to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv.