Von der Leyen sees “solid and encouraging progress” in the “recent days and hours”
Macron calls for a "strong" Ukrainian army without "limitations"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Tuesday that he is “prepared” to discuss the “sensitive” points of the US proposal to end the war in Ukraine with the White House occupant, Donald Trump. The proposal has drawn criticism regarding the concessions it included from Kyiv to Moscow, after Washington referred to “a few delicate but not insurmountable details” in the lead-up to an agreement.
Zelensky emphasized that “security decisions regarding Ukraine must include Ukraine” and that “security decisions regarding Europe must include Europe.” “Because when something is decided behind the backs of a country or its people, there is always a high risk that it simply won’t work. People must decide their own future, and that is what differentiates us from regimes like Moscow’s,” he declared.
He indicated that he “has the framework developed” by European countries in Geneva, Switzerland: “It is on the table, and we are ready to move forward together, with the United States, with Trump’s personal commitment, and with Europe, with the leaders and all the partners who have the strength and capacity to help.”
In his address during a videoconference of the Coalition of Volunteers supporting Ukraine, he also asked participants not to “lose sight of reality,” emphasizing that “every day Russia is taking Ukrainian lives.” “The Russian war against us is not a thing of the past; it happens every day… We cannot relax or forget that Ukraine still needs support in defense, security, and resilience,” he stated.
“As long as Russia does not take real steps toward demobilization—real steps to shut down its war machine—steps that would clearly demonstrate its commitment to ending this war of aggression, we have no right to stop working to support Ukraine, our people, and our collective security, nor to demobilize ourselves,” he said.
Finally, he called on allies to “protect lives, strengthen air defenses and hold the front line, maintain sanctions against Russia, channel frozen Russian assets, and develop a framework for the deployment” of a multinational force once the war is over.
In a joint statement, the leaders expressed their “unwavering support for Ukraine and for a just and lasting peace, which the Ukrainian people fully deserve,” and condemned the “deadly and large-scale attacks perpetrated by Russia.”
They also reiterated their “support for Trump’s efforts to end the war” and stressed “that any solution must fully involve Ukraine, preserve its sovereignty, be consistent with the principles of the UN Charter, and guarantee its long-term security,” since “borders should not be changed by force.”
“This remains one of the fundamental principles for preserving stability and peace in Europe and beyond,” they asserted, before welcoming the fact that “the talks between the United States and Ukraine in Geneva showed significant progress and that both sides considered them an important step forward.”
MACRON: A “STRONG” AND “UNLIMITED” ARMY
For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron called for the ceasefire plan in Ukraine to guarantee a “strong” and “unlimited” Ukrainian army in order to deter Russia from attacking its neighbor again.
“It is essential, above all, to have a strong Ukrainian army. The talks in Geneva have shown that there should be no limitations on the Ukrainian army. We have planned everything we needed to achieve this,” Macron said.
The Élysée Palace occupant also stated that “clearly, at present, there is no Russian will for a ceasefire,” not even for “dialogue,” and therefore called for “continuous pressure” on Moscow to negotiate.
“While Russia was once again trying to make people believe it was ready for peace, the last few hours have been marked, once again, by attacks against civilian infrastructure, particularly energy infrastructure, and against Ukrainian civilians. And so, on the ground, the reality is the complete opposite of a desire for peace,” he noted.
Regarding the frozen Russian assets, he argued that this is a solution to “ensure funding” for Ukraine and that it will be finalized in the coming days: “This is a means of exerting pressure, and therefore, in coordination with the affected European countries and the European Union, we will soon finalize a solution that will ensure funding for Ukraine while maintaining that pressure.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that “everyone” wants “a permanent end to Russian barbarism in Ukraine and lasting peace.” “I am pleased that progress is being made. We reiterate that no one wants peace more than Volodymyr (Zelensky) and the Ukrainian people,” he asserted, emphasizing that “they have paid a very high price for a very long time.”
“(The virtual meeting) has been an opportunity to ensure that the draft plan fully reflects Ukraine’s interests and lays the foundation for a lasting peace. (…) We are moving in a positive direction, and today there are indications that, for the most part, the majority of the text could be accepted,” she stated.
VON DER LEYEN: “SOLID AND ENCOURAGING PROGRESS”
From the European Union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she sees “solid and encouraging progress” in the “recent days and hours,” and thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for participating in the Coalition of Volunteers meeting to “discuss the ongoing negotiations toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
“We need strong transatlantic cooperation because it delivers results,” she stated, before criticizing the fact that, while Europe and its partners are fully committed to the pursuit of a just and sustainable peace, “Russia has intensified its attacks against Kyiv, with missiles and drones that have even violated Moldovan and Romanian airspace.”
She also highlighted the “significant impact” of the “coordinated and successive waves of sanctions against the Russian economy,” which, according to Von der Leyen, “are reducing Russia’s resources to wage its war of aggression.” “And since pressure remains the only language to which it responds, we will continue to increase it until there is a genuine willingness to embark on a credible path to peace,” she concluded.
Earlier, the President of the European Council, António Costa, had described the virtual meeting as “very useful,” noting that it was “good” to hear Zelensky and the US Secretary of State “about their assessment of the ongoing peace process.”
“From the EU’s perspective, our talks reaffirm our commitment to continue putting pressure on Russia and supporting Ukraine: politically, economically, and militarily,” he stated on his Twitter profile.
Before the meeting, Zelensky spoke by phone with Starmer, who conveyed his condolences for the victims of the recent wave of Russian attacks, and with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who emphasized that Germany “has been helping Ukraine since the beginning of the large-scale war.”
