EU leaders will be briefed this morning on talks to end the war in Ukraine after a weekend of rapid progress in Geneva, during which few details emerged but officials became more optimistic about peace, Politico reports, writes UNN.
Details
"European Union leaders will be briefed this morning on the state of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine after a weekend of rapid talks in Geneva, Switzerland, which were not very detailed but left officials more optimistic about the prospects for peace," the publication states.
European Council President António Costa said on Sunday that he was convening the leaders of the 27 EU countries for a special meeting on Ukraine on the sidelines of the EU-Africa summit, which begins today in Angola.
"15 leaders will gather in Luanda, and the rest will join via video conference to learn about what was discussed over the weekend in Geneva," an EU official in Angola said. This, it is noted, follows an emergency Coreper meeting last night in Brussels.
Ukrainian and American officials gathered in Geneva on Sunday with national security advisors from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to discuss an American peace proposal that has concerned Kyiv and its European allies. "Björn Seibert and Pedro Lurti, chiefs of staff to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Costa, respectively, were also present," the publication writes. A European Commission spokesperson confirmed their presence.
"After a series of dizzying statements and leaks, including various reports of a European counter-proposal," US and Ukrainian officials said in a joint statement that they had made "significant progress in aligning positions and identifying clear next steps."
Geneva Talks: US and Ukraine Issue Joint Statement24.11.25, 02:17 • [views_29873]
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday was "probably the most productive day we've had on this issue," though details were scarce.
"Several EU diplomats said that Ukraine and Europe emerged from the Geneva talks strengthened, amid often being left out of Trump's attempts to mediate an end to the conflict. Now that they are at the negotiating table and being heard, Europeans feel more optimistic about the course of the discussions," the publication states.
"Rubio told his EU and NATO counterparts that their security concerns would be addressed in any peace agreement," according to an EU diplomat.
It is also noted that Rubio said that the deadline set by Trump for Thanksgiving (November 27) for Kyiv to accept the peace plan is flexible. "Obviously, we would like it to be Thursday," he told reporters. "Whether it's Thursday or Friday or Wednesday or Monday of next week, we want it to be soon."
An EU diplomat said that "Europe's voice is now heard more because the bloc's leaders are taking a firmer stance, and because Europe is now paying most of the bills for Ukraine - and holds the key to its financial future." "You don't get a seat at the table. You take a seat at the table. That's what we did," the diplomat said.
"Underlining this new approach, Ursula von der Leyen did not wait for a consensus position from the (EU) Council to set out her red lines for ending the war in Ukraine," the publication notes.
In a statement released on Sunday, she insisted that Ukraine's borders must not be changed by force, that Kyiv should not be forced to reduce its armed forces in a way that would leave it open to attack, and announced a conference on the return of abducted Ukrainian children to their homes.
If it wasn't clear, von der Leyen also emphasized the "central role of the European Union in securing peace for Ukraine."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also tried to draw a hard line, stating in an interview with DW on Sunday that Europe would not support a plan that jeopardized Ukraine's sovereignty, and that Trump's Thanksgiving deadline of November 27 was unrealistic. "We are now trying to implement an interim step by Thursday," Merz said.
Meanwhile, it is reported that "an EU official and diplomats refused to endorse the 28-point 'counter-proposal' prepared by the E3 countries (Germany, France, and the United Kingdom), published by several media outlets on Sunday." The document "is already outdated," one EU official noted. Rubio claimed ignorance when asked by reporters: "What counter-plan? I haven't seen any counter-plan."
"A key point for Europeans is what will happen to plans to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine next year. Washington's initial 28-point plan, reported by Axios, essentially demanded that the assets be used for America's profit. The aforementioned European official rejected this idea, stating that 'nothing can be done with assets or sanctions without the EU,'" the publication states.
At the same time, it is noted that "pressure from Trump could prompt Europeans to make a decision on frozen assets." "Sometimes really difficult decisions are only made when your back is against the wall," an EU diplomat said.
Europe expresses fears that Trump will halt support for Ukraine - FT24.11.25, 08:57 • [views_3963]