EU leaders say the US plan to end the Ukraine war will “require additional work”. The proposal, which appears to back most of the Russian demands, has been given a distinctly guarded welcome in many European capitals. EU member state leaders trying to balance the need for an end to the fighting while recognizing that for Kyiv, some of the terms in his proposal are unpalatable.
At the weekend’s meeting of the Group of 20 major economies in South Africa, leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, Italy, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, the EU Commission and EU Council are meeting to discuss tactics. Meanwhile, Ukraine has indicated it will hold talks with high-ranking U.S. officials in Switzerland on ending the bitter conflict in Ukraine. Just ahead of the G20 a jointstatement was adopted by several EU leaders on the Ukraine crisis.
It was signed by President Costa, President von der Leyen, Prime Minister Carney, President Stubb, President Macron, Prime Minister Martin, Prime Minister Meloni, Prime Minister Takaichi, Prime Minister Schoof, Prime Minister Sánchez, Prime Minister Starmer, Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Støre. The statement reads: “We welcome the continued US efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. “The initial draft of the 28-point plan includes important elements that will be essential for a just and lasting peace.” It goes on, “We believe therefore that the draft is a basis which will require additional work. We are ready to engage in order to ensure that a future peace is sustainable. “We are clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. We are also concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack.” It continues, “We reiterate that the implementation of elements relating to the European Union and relating to NATO would need the consent of EU and NATO members respectively.”
The joint statement concludes, “We take this opportunity to underline the strength of our continued support to Ukraine. We will continue to coordinate closely with Ukraine and the US over the coming days.” Elsewhere on Wednesday, MEPs will debate the ongoing perceived threats to EU airspace and critical infrastructure posed by Russia and Belarus. The debate follows incidents such as Lithuania closing border crossings after detecting smuggling balloons drifting into its airspace from Belarus, as well as what some MEPs have called an “act of sabotage” in Poland resulting in a blast on a railway line used for carrying aid deliveries for Ukraine, also frequented by passenger trains.
An ECR group source said: “These events form part of Russia’s broader hybrid warfare strategy, aimed at destabilizing Europe and undermining NATO amid its ongoing aggression against Ukraine. “Russia is employing increasingly sophisticated methods to pressure the West, and Europe must move from reactive defence to proactive security.
“The ECR strongly condemns these actions and calls on the EU to take concrete steps to strengthen its resilience against hybrid threats, safeguard citizens and borders, and uphold freedom and security across the continent,” the source added.
