Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The European Union institutions in Brussels distributed a joint statement by French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Kjersey Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb regarding peace in Ukraine, ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The statement read: "We welcome the US President's efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia's war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine.
We are convinced that only an approach that combines effective diplomacy, support for Ukraine, and pressure on the Russian Federation to end its illegal war will succeed.
We stand ready to support this effort diplomatically, as well as to continue our substantial military and financial support for Ukraine, including through the work of the Coalition of the Willing, and by supporting and imposing restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.
We agree that a diplomatic solution must protect the vital security interests of Ukraine and Europe.
We agree that these vital interests include the need for strong and reliable security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine is free to choose its own destiny. Serious negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle of non-alteration of international borders by force. The current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations.
We reaffirm that the invasion Russia's unjustified and illegal invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, and Russia's successive commitments. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
We continue to stand firmly with Ukraine. We are united as Europeans, determined to advance our interests together. We will continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and the United States, President Zelenskyy, and the people of Ukraine, for peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests.