In a joint statement early Sunday morning, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of the UK, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland welcomed President Trump’s “work to stop the killing in Ukraine”.
The statement followed a meeting outside London on Saturday, where British foreign minister David Lammy and senior officials from Ukraine and the EU met American Vice President JD Vance to clarify the American position ahead of the planned summit between Trump and Russian President Putin on 15 Augusti in Alaska.
Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, had met Putin earlier this week to prepare the summit which will take place without Ukraine and the EU. Reports that the US might support Russian demands for keeping Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and occupied Ukrainian territory in Donbas (ca 20 % of its territory) as a condition for ending the war worry the EU which risks being sidelined in the peace talks.
“We are convinced that only an approach that combines active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on the Russian Federation to end their illegal war can succeed,” the statement says.
“Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. The current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.”
A crucial point is security guarantees for deterring Russia from violating any peace agreement as it has done with previous agreements and commitments. The European leaders agree that Ukraine’s and Europe’s security interests include “the need for robust and credible security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Ukraine has also the freedom of choice over its own destiny, the statement continues, referring to future membership in the EU and NATO. On the issue of Ukraine joining NATO, the Trump administration agrees with Russia that wants a commitment that Ukraine will not enter NATO or allow Western troops on its territory.
The European leaders concluded optimistically that they will continue to cooperate closely with both President Trump and President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, “for a peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests”.
The Ukrainian President twitted on Sunday morning that Ukraine values and fully supports the statement by the European leaders. In an earlier tweet he wrote that “what is needed now is not a pause in the killings, but a real, lasting peace. Not a ceasefire sometime in the future, in months, but immediately. President Trump told me so, and I fully support it”.
