The leaders of 11 European states and the EU announced in a joint statement today that a 28-point US plan for peace in the is a foundation that “requires additional work”.
G7 and European leaders met on the sidelines of their summit in Johannesburg to discuss a US peace plan for the war in Ukraine. The administration of US President Donald Trump boycotted the Summit.
“The initial draft of the 28-point proposal includes important elements that will be necessary for a just and lasting peace. However, we believe that the draft is a basis that needs additional work”, the leaders emphasize.
“We are clear on the principle that borders should not be changed by force. We are also concerned about the proposed restrictions on Ukraine’s armed forces, which will make Ukraine vulnerable to future attacks.”
The leaders stress that any element related to the European Union and NATO will need their agreement.
The statement is signed by Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa for the EU, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as the Prime Ministers of Canada Mark Carney, Ireland Michal Martin, Italy Giorgia Meloni, Japan Sanae Takaichi, the Netherlands Dick Schoof, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez, Britain’s Keir Starmer and Norway’s Jonas Gar Store.
Announcements from Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a new message to the Ukrainian people on Saturday, announcing consultations with Ukraine’s partners, focusing on steps to end the war.
The president of Ukraine stated that real peace is always based on guaranteed security and justice.
“Our representatives know how to protect Ukraine’s national interests and exactly what is needed to prevent Russia from committing a third invasion, another blow to Ukraine,”
At the same time, he announced that he signed a decree on the composition of the mission that will participate “in the negotiation process with the US and other international partners of Ukraine, as well as with representatives of Russia” and approved all relevant instructions.
In Switzerland the consultations
The national security advisers of the E3 countries will meet with European Union, US and Ukrainian officials in Geneva on Sunday to discuss Washington’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine, officials said on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
The E3 is an informal security alliance of France, Britain and Germany.
A German government source said a European peace plan, based on the US proposal, has been sent to Ukraine and the US government.
As Reuters reports, a Ukrainian delegation is expected to arrive tonight, while US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected tomorrow.
As the US official mentioned, Russia will not attend the Geneva talks, but the US intends to have meetings with Russians very soon.
Meanwhile, Italy will send an official to join the talks in Geneva tomorrow, diplomatic sources told Reuters. The sources said that it is the diplomatic adviser Fabrizio Sazzo.
“Europe must participate”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he made it clear to US President Donald Trump that Europe must be part of any process to end the war in Ukraine during a lengthy phone conversation on Friday night.
“If Ukraine loses this war and possibly collapses, there will be implications for European politics as a whole, for the entire European continent. And that’s why we’re so committed to this issue,” Mertz said after the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
