European leaders are adamant that any plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine will need support from both the European Union and Ukraine amid speculation of a potential United States-backed plan that would heavily favour Moscow’s demands and narrative.
Arriving for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday, EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas told reporters that Europeans have always supported “long-lasting and just peace, and we welcome any efforts to achieve that”.
“Of course, for any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” she added.
Other top diplomats from Germany, Spain and Poland echoed Kallas, with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski saying that Europe – whose security is “at stake” – expects to be consulted on any potential deal.
“I hope it’s not the victim that has restrictions on its ability to defend itself put on, but it’s the aggressor,” he said.
Russia, however, appeared to push off the idea of negotiations, saying again on Thursday that a deal with Ukraine would have to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and that there are no negotiations ongoing with Washington on such a plan.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the details of the reported Ukraine peace plan, Reuters news agency reported.
European nations have been increasingly concerned that the war may spill into their borders, and there have been numerous accusations and instances of the Kremlin undertaking actions of shadow war, testing the EU and the United Kingdom’s mettle with aggressive cyberattacks and drone intrusions.
The UK on Wednesday warned it is ready to use “military options” if necessary after a Russian spy ship that has spent weeks on the edge of British waters directed lasers at British pilots sent to monitor the vessel.
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