EU leaders back Ukraine, reject peace without Kyiv
European Union leaders have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty in the face of Russia's war of aggression and state that no peace talks can happen without representatives from Kyiv.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, August 12 — three days ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska — EU leaders emphasized the importance of respecting international law and the principle that prohibits changing borders by force.
"We, the leaders of the European Union, welcome President Trump's efforts to end Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and to achieve a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine," reads the statement signed by all leaders of the EU member states, with the exception of Hungary.
Peace talks cannot happen without Ukraine
EU leaders stressed that any peace solution must respect international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
"A just and lasting peace that brings stability and security must respect international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and that international borders must not be changed by force," the signatories of the statement noted.
According to the same source, the Ukrainian people must be free to decide their own future, and peace talks cannot take place without Ukraine. The statement emphasizes, "The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine."
EU leaders state that negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a reduction in hostilities.
"The EU emphasizes Ukraine's inherent right to choose its own destiny and will continue to support Ukraine on its path toward EU membership," the statement also says.
Aid for Ukraine and sanctions for Russia
In the same statement, EU policymakers announced they would continue to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic support to Ukraine, in collaboration with the U.S. and other partners, so the country can defend itself.
Furthermore, the EU will continue to impose and maintain restrictive sanctions against the Russian Federation.
"The EU and member states are prepared to continue contributing to security guarantees..., in accordance with international law, with full respect for the security and defense policies of certain member states and taking into account the security interests of all member states," EU leaders further declared.
The statement from EU leaders was released in the context of the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which is scheduled for August 15 in Alaska.
Donald Trump announced that the summit would discuss the issue of ceding certain Ukrainian territories in exchange for an end to military actions.
One of Vladimir Putin's demands for a peace agreement is for Kyiv and the international community to recognize the occupied territories as Russian. Specifically, Putin wants the Crimean Peninsula, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson to become part of Russia, and for Ukraine to cease its claims to them.
The Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rejects the idea that an agreement with Russia should involve ceding these occupied Ukrainian territories.
"The answer to Ukraine's territorial issue is already stipulated in the Constitution of Ukraine. No one will give this up, and no one will be able to give it up. Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier," reacted the leader from Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to him, "the end of the war must be a just one."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
