European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the progress made in talks over a potential Ukraine peace agreement, saying that after days of intense negotiations, Europe finally has “a starting point.”
The statement comes after the Trump administration’s initial 28-point proposal caused alarm across Kyiv and European capitals due to its heavy concessions to Moscow, including limitations on Ukraine’s military and recognition of Russian control over occupied territories.
Following pressure from Ukraine and its allies, Washington and Kyiv announced that negotiations in Geneva led to an “updated and refined peace framework.”
Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen cautioned that despite progress, “much more effort is needed.”
EU Red Lines: No Border Changes, No Weakening of Ukraine
Von der Leyen outlined Europe’s firm conditions for any negotiations involving Ukraine, the U.S., and the coalition of the willing, emphasizing:
- No peace agreement can restrict Ukraine’s armed forces, a core element of Trump’s original proposal.
- Ukraine must receive robust, long-term, and credible security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression.
- Europe will not accept any formal or de facto changes of Ukraine’s borders.
The initial U.S. plan would have recognized Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as de facto Russian territory, while freezing current frontlines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia—a concession von der Leyen made clear the EU will not tolerate.
“If we legitimize the undermining of borders today, we open the door to more wars tomorrow,” she warned.
She also stressed that Ukraine must remain free to join the European Union, rejecting any attempt to limit Kyiv’s strategic options.
Financing Ukraine’s Reconstruction
Von der Leyen confirmed that the EU will accelerate efforts to use frozen Russian state assets to back a €140 billion loan for Ukraine.
While the Commission is prepared to present a legal proposal, she did not specify the timeline. The plan previously faced resistance from Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, whose country hosts the majority of the seized Russian assets.
Von der Leyen insisted the financial burden cannot fall on European taxpayers alone, saying:
“I cannot see any scenario in which European taxpayers alone pay the bill.”
“Nothing About Ukraine Without Ukraine”
The Commission president reiterated that Ukraine and EU member states must be directly involved in every step of the peace process:
“Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about Europe without Europe, nothing about NATO without NATO.”
