(AFP) – Ukraine’s EU backers on Thursday insisted Kyiv and Europe needed to be involved in any peace plan, as the United States pushes a new proposal that appears to repeat Russia’s demands. The initiative from Washington — reportedly drawn up in cooperation with Moscow — has stirred fears that President Donald Trump could be see-sawing back to the Kremlin’s side despite months of nudging by Europe.
“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” Kallas told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. “We have to understand that in this war, there is one aggressor and one victim. So we haven’t heard of any concessions on the Russian side.” A source familiar with the US proposal told AFP Wednesday that it would see Kyiv ceding land to Moscow and more than halving its army. American media outlet Axios earlier reported Moscow and Washington had been working on the secret plan to end the almost four-year war. The source told AFP it was unclear if the proposals were backed by US President Donald Trump personally.
Kallas said that as far as she knew there had been no input from Ukraine or its European backers. “We welcome all meaningful efforts to end this war, but like we have said before it has to be just and lasting,” she said. “If Russia really wanted peace it could have agreed to an unconditional ceasefire already.”
– ‘Capitulation’ – French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot insisted that peace in Ukraine could not mean “capitulation” for Kyiv. “Discussions are needed for us to reach a just and durable peace in Ukraine; they should start with a ceasefire on the contact line that allows for orderly discussions on the question of territories and security,” he said. His German counterpart Johann Wadephul echoed that, saying it was a “prerequisite” for any negotiations that Russia agree to a truce without any conditions.
Poland’s Radoslaw Sikorski pointed out it would be wrong to limit the size of the forces Ukraine could use to defend itself. “I hope it’s not the victim that has restrictions on its ability to defend itself put on, but it’s the aggressor, whose aggressive potential should be restricted,” he said.
European leaders have been playing a cat-and-mouse game with Trump over Ukraine since he returned to office in January as they try to steer him towards their position. That has seen them launch repeated frantic efforts to talk him around from trying to impose painful conditions on Kyiv — and seizing on any hint he is getting tougher on Russia. A senior EU official said the latest plan suggested a Russian effort to show willing to Trump after he hit two of its biggest oil majors with sanctions. “It’s a Russian narrative, Russia pushing for it to distract attention for fear of sanctions,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said that respecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity remained fundamental. But he said it was at least a plus that Washington had not yet washed its hands of Ukraine, after months of unsuccessful efforts to stop the fighting. “I do not see the big tragedy that there are some ideas how to end this war — that is good that it is coming from United States,” he said. “Look at the positive side. If they are working on it, it means that they engage. They are not dropping it for Europe to only to deal with.”
© 2024 AFP
