European Leaders Express Concerns โOver โUSโ Ukraine Plan, Prioritize Sovereignty and Security Guarantees
BRUSSELS – As โthe United States reportedlyโ explores โpotential pathways to a โnegotiated end to the conflict in Ukraine, key European leaders are โsignaling reservations and outlining their own conditions for a lasting peace, emphasizing Ukraine’s sovereign right toโค determine its future and the necessity of โrobust security guarantees. Concerns are mounting that โa US-driven plan โคmay โฃnot adequately โaddressโค European security interests orโ Ukraine’s long-term viability.
The divergence in approaches comes as Ukraine facesโฃ continued pressureโ on the battlefield and โamid growing debate โover the โขsustainability ofโ Westernโ support.A potential shift in US policy, coupled with internalโ European anxieties about theโ economic and geopolitical โconsequences of the war, is fueling a push forโฃ aโ more โdistinctly European framework for peace negotiations. At stake is not only the future of Ukraine but also the transatlantic allianceโ and โขthe broader โEuropean security architecture.โฃ
European commission President Ursula โขvon der Leyen has articulated three coreโข principles โคfor any โviableโฃ peace agreement.โ She stated unequivocally โthat Ukraine’s borders “cannot be changed byโค force,” rejecting any territorial concessions โขto Russia. Vonโ der leyen also insisted that Ukraine’s military capabilities must be maintainedโ at a level sufficient โto deter future aggression, preventing โคthe country โคfrom becomingโค vulnerable to renewed attacks. โ
Furthermore, von der Leyen stressed the essential role the Europeanโค Union must play in any peace process. “Ukraine mustโข have the freedom and the sovereign right to determine its own destiny. โIt has chosenโข a European path,” โขshe affirmed,underscoring the EU’s commitment toโค Ukraine’sโ integration and its rejection of any outcome that โคcompromises Ukrainian โคsovereignty.
These statements reflect a growing sentiment within Europe that any โคresolution must prioritize Ukraine’s agency and align with the continent’s long-term security interests, even as discussions continue regarding the โspecificsโ ofโ potential negotiations and the level โฃof support to be provided. (AFP/Reuters/dpa)
