NATO foreign ministers are holding their first meeting in Brussels since the publication of a draft peace plan to end the Ukraine war amid deepening concerns about the alliance being sidelined in talks which have largely been led by US and Russian officials.
US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner concluded five hours of talks in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian officials.
Despite no apparent breakthrough, one senior Russian figure described the talks as productive.
The initial 28-point peace plan, which has since been widely criticised as a Russian wish list, required a pledge that Ukraine would never join NATO and that there be no new NATO members from eastern Europe.
Ahead of the first meeting of NATO foreign ministers since the draft was published, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte insisted that any element of an updated peace plan which involves NATO will have to have the alliance's input.
Mr Rutte said that while there was currently no consensus among NATO members about Ukraine joining the alliance, NATO's open door policy still stood.
There is deepening unease within NATO that the Trump administration is operating more as an arbitrator between Europe and Russia, and not as a member of the alliance itself.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is not attending today’s meeting.
Commenting yesterday on Mr Rubio's expected absence at today's meeting, Mr Rutte said: "He's working extremely hard to take care not only of the situation of Ukraine, but of course many other issues which are on his plate.
"So I totally accept him not being able to be here tomorrow, and I would not read anything in it."
Earlier Mr Putin accused Europe of wanting to sabotage peace efforts, suggesting that if Europe wanted war Russia was ready.
The NATO meeting comes a day after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was given a standing ovation while addressing a joint meeting of the Dáil and Seanad, in which he thanked Ireland for the assistance it has given his country and people since it was invaded by Russia almost four years ago.
Watch: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers address to Oireachtas
He thanked TDs and Senators for their "steadfast support" for Ukraine, adding that there is a "real chance" for peace if the whole world is prepared to seize it.
Read more: 'Real chance' for peace in Ukraine, Zelensky tells Oireachtas
