Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In a statement, Cairo praised the efforts exerted by US President Donald Trump to end the crisis, halt military operations, and address the repercussions of the war.
It also welcomed recent international engagements, including the American-Russian summit in Alaska on 15 August and subsequent high-level talks in Washington on 18 August that brought together Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and several European leaders.
The Alaska summit was particularly significant as it marked Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to Western soil since ordering the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a war that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Following the meeting, US officials announced that Trump and Putin had agreed to “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine.
Momentum carried into Washington, where European leaders joined discussions with Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president also held talks with Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, later describing the meetings as “very serious” while echoing Trump’s “peace through strength” mantra.
Egypt affirmed that these efforts align with its long-standing position of prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions to international crises.
It stressed that negotiations must continue with the necessary political will, flexibility, and adherence to international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter.
Cairo expressed hope that the talks would soon lead to an end to the war, which has had grave political, humanitarian, and economic consequences, particularly for developing countries struggling with food security.
Linking with Palestine
While welcoming progress on Ukraine, Egypt also urged the international community to intensify efforts in the Middle East to decisively resolve the Palestinian issue.
It stressed the need for Israel to accept the deal recently approved by Hamas, based on a proposal by US envoy Steve Witkoff, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, the entry of humanitarian aid, and the release of captives and Palestinian prisoners.
Such steps, Egypt said, are essential to restoring stability and reviving the path toward a comprehensive settlement on the basis of the two-state solution and international legitimacy.
Egypt reaffirmed its readiness to work with regional and international partners, especially the US, to strengthen international peace and stability.
The statement came just hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz approved a military plan to occupy Gaza City and authorized the call-up of 60,000 reservists to implement it.
The move coincides with mediation efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war on Gaza, as mediators Egypt and Qatar await Israel’s response to the truce proposal Hamas accepted on Monday.
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