Stockholm – In a joint press release, 26 heads of government from EU member states affirmed that Ukraine must chart its own future, ahead of the scheduled meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin this Friday.
The statement emphasizes that “a just and enduring peace that fosters stability and security must adhere to international law, including the tenets of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the principle that international borders must not be altered by force.”
The leaders commend Trump’s initiatives to end Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, yet assert that true peace cannot be realized without Ukrainian involvement.
Hungary is the only EU country that did not sign the statement.
Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, has proposed a meeting to discuss the situation in Ukraine, including Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and several European leaders, such as EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa, scheduled for Wednesday.
“No discussions regarding Ukraine without Ukraine, no discussions about Europe without Europe,” stated Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
EU foreign ministers convened digitally on Monday, where there was “strong consensus” that no decisions can be made without Ukraine’s participation, according to Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.
(August 12)
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