NEW YORK, March 19. /TASS/. US officials have told their European counterparts that the European Union will have to be involved in any Ukraine peace agreement given that Russia wants the removal of sanctions imposed by the bloc, Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the news agency, Washington has delivered the message to Europe "that the priority is to stop the fighting in the conflict and to discuss issues such as potential security arrangements for Ukraine." The move "may offer some measure of reassurance to allied nations that fear the US will try to cut a deal without the participation of European leaders that could weaken Ukraine or Europe’s security." "Those fears were exacerbated" on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg notes.

So far, Trump "has largely excluded Europe from his conversations with Ukraine and Russia" the news agency points out.

Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said earlier that the European Union was looking for an opportunity to join talks on Ukraine.

Putin and Trump held a phone call on March 18, discussing the idea of a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict, ways to prevent a further escalation of tensions and a number of international issues. The Russian leader supported the US president’s initiative for an energy and infrastructure ceasefire in Ukraine.