EU Leaders Express Reservations Over US Peace Plan for Ukraine
JOHANNESBURG/GENEVA – A US-led peace proposal aiming to end the war in Ukraine is facing important pushback from european allies, who voiced concerns over concessions demanded of Ukraine, including territorial losses and limitations on its military capabilities. The objections surfaced during the G-20 summit in Johannesburg and are set to be further discussed at a meeting in Geneva on Sunday involving representatives from Ukraine, the US, and several european nations.
The US government, absent from the G-20 summit in Johannesburg, presented a 28-point plan mid-week that reportedly calls for Ukraine to cede portions of eastern territory to Russia, cap its military size, and forgo future NATO membership. While acknowledging the US “efforts to bring peace to Ukraine,” several European states, alongside Canada and Japan, indicated the current draft requires “additional work.”
A key point of contention is the principle of territorial integrity.Allies emphasized that ”borders must not be changed by force,” signaling resistance to any plan requiring Ukraine to relinquish land. Concerns were also raised regarding proposed restrictions on the Ukrainian armed forces, which are seen as perhaps leaving the country vulnerable to future Russian aggression.
“Wars cannot be ended by great powers over the heads of the countries involved,” stated friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU party in Germany, underscoring the necessity of Ukraine’s full consent to any peace agreement. He confirmed a meeting of security policy advisors from Germany, France, Great Britain, and other European countries with Ukrainian and US counterparts is scheduled for Sunday in Geneva.
Merz also cautioned that a collapse of Ukraine would have far-reaching consequences for european security and politics. He noted that while a chance to end the war currently exists, achieving a “good result” remains “quite a long way away,” a sentiment he conveyed to US President donald Trump during a phone conversation Friday evening. He stressed the need for all G-20 members to fulfill their responsibilities, beyond purely economic interests.
The Geneva meeting will include US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, alongside US Secretary of State Daniel Driscoll, who has already arrived.Ukrainian delegations are expected to join in the evening. Russia has not been invited to participate.
The EU’s insistence on consent from its member states and NATO for implementing any elements of the plan adds another layer of complexity. This growth highlights the challenges in forging a unified international approach to resolving the conflict, and underscores ukraine’s central role in determining its own future.
Source: dpa/Reuters/rct/krä/lay (as per original article attribution)