German European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has spoken out against the “unilateral dismemberment of a sovereign European nation” as Europe tries to influence US attempts to end the military conflict in Ukraine.
Speaking to European lawmakers in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen said Russia showed “no sign of a genuine desire to end the conflict” and continued to act in a spirit unchanged since the 1945 Yalta Conference that established the post-war order.
“Therefore, we need to clearly understand that there cannot be a unilateral dismemberment of a sovereign European nation and that borders cannot be changed by force. If today we legitimize and formalize the undermining of borders, tomorrow we will open the door to new wars, and we cannot allow this,” the German woman said.
The United States continues to insist on ending the conflict, The Guardian recalls. Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Moscow early next week, while US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will meet with the Ukrainian side.
Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Trump’s peace efforts as a “starting point” but made it clear that Europe had many concerns about the details laid out in the original 28-point “US-Russia” plan.
Ukraine said some of the “maximalist” demands made in favor of Russia have since been dropped, and the US president rescheduled his speech on Thursday around the US Thanksgiving holiday amid little sign of progress on key issues, The Guardian noted.
Describing the situation as unstable and dangerous, von der Leyen said she saw it as “an opportunity for real progress,” adding: “So far we have seen no signs that Russia is truly ready to end this conflict. So we must continue to put pressure on Russia.”
In a hastily arranged video call on Wednesday, EU foreign ministers “reaffirmed our common principles,” according to Estonian foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas, referring to sovereignty, independence, territorial self-sufficiency and Ukraine’s “inalienable right to self-defense.”
Kaia Kallas, the former prime minister of Estonia, said everyone applauds the U.S. commitment to peace, before laying out an analysis of the conflict that is very different from the worldview behind the 28-point plan.
“Right now we don’t see any signs that Russia is ready for a ceasefire,” the Estonian said. “We still need to move from a situation where Russia pretends to negotiate to a situation where they need to negotiate. We’re getting there.”
EU officials also oppose restrictions on Ukraine’s military. Such a restriction would “make the country vulnerable to future attacks,” Germany’s von der Leyen said, adding that Ukraine also needs “reliable, credible and long-term security guarantees.”
Zelensky said he thanked von der Leyen for her words of support. “We are of one opinion: as long as Russia continues to oppose all peace efforts, sanctions against it must be tightened and defense and financial assistance to Ukraine must continue.”
Von der Leyen also promised that the European Commission would present a draft legal proposal to use Russia’s frozen assets to finance Ukraine in 2026 and 2027.
EU leaders failed to approve the idea last month due to legal concerns from Belgium, which owns assets worth about 183 billion euros, accounting for most of Russia’s sovereign wealth in the EU and two-thirds of the global total, The Guardian recalls.
Trump’s proposal for the US to receive 50% of the profits from a US-led “reconstruction and investment in Ukraine” venture based on $100 billion of frozen Russian assets is increasing pressure on European leaders to resolve the issue. The US also wants Europe to contribute $100 billion to a reconstruction investment fund.
Von der Leyen reiterated her support for the asset freeze plan – an EU loan to Ukraine secured by assets and the idea that Russia would pay Kyiv “reparations” – saying: “I don’t see any scenario in which European taxpayers will foot the bill alone.”
EU leaders will discuss the issue of frozen assets next month as they try to agree a 2026-27 financing deal for Kyiv, which is expected to end next spring.
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification. We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author:
Published on: 2025-11-27 10:21:00
Source: www.mk.ru
