Russia welcomes “aspects” of the new US plan, while EU vows to back Ukraine until war ends

Russia welcomes “aspects” of the new US plan, while EU vows to back Ukraine until war ends

The Kremlin said it would study further the new draft plan, while Europe vowed to keep supporting Kyiv and pressuring Moscow until a “just and lasting peace” is achieved.

donald trump
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled a “fine-tuned” version of his earlier 28-point plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war, parts of which were welcomed by the Kremlin. (EPA Images pic)
MOSCOW:
Russia has seen the latest copy of a US plan to end the Ukraine war and views some of it positively, but other points require discussion, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

In comments to a Russian state TV reporter, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the new draft required “truly serious analysis” and that Russia had not yet discussed it with anyone.

“Some aspects can be viewed positively, but many require special discussions among experts,” Ushakov told a state TV reporter.

Washington’s latest plan has not yet been published.

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that it was a “fine-tuned” version of an earlier 28-point plan that would have seen Ukraine withdraw from its Donetsk region and cut the size of its army, points that Kyiv had criticised.

Ukraine said later it had reached an “understanding” with the US and that the two sides had pared back some of the points it disagreed with following talks in Geneva.

US officials will now meet with both sides in the hope of finalising the agreement, Trump said Tuesday.

Meanwhile in Strasbourg, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed Wednesday that Europe would keep supporting Ukraine and pressuring Russia until a “just and lasting peace”, calling a revised US plan a “starting point” to end the war.

“I want to be clear from the very outset: Europe will stand with Ukraine and support Ukraine every step of the way,” von der Leyen told EU lawmakers.

Europe has been scrambling to shore up Kyiv and assert its own influence after the United States produced a plan to end the fighting that was heavily slanted towards Russia’s demands.

The European Commission president said days of negotiations to refine the US plan had begun to lay the groundwork for a possible settlement, but warned Russia showed no sign of really wanting to stop the war.

“Yes, the situation is volatile. Yes, the situation is dangerous. But I believe there is also an opportunity here to make real progress,” she said.

As the US has stepped up its efforts to stop the fighting, the EU is wrangling over proposals to use frozen Russian assets to fund a mammoth 140-billion-euro (US$162 billion) loan for Kyiv.

Von der Leyen said her executive was preparing to present a legal text for the loan as Belgium — where the bulk of the assets are held — holds up the plan.

“To be very clear — I cannot see any scenario in which the European taxpayers alone will pay the bill,” she said.

Officials hope EU leaders will formally approve the loan plan — seen as crucial for keeping Kyiv afloat — at a summit in December.

EU foreign ministers were holding talks by videoconference Wednesday to discuss the US push on Ukraine and European efforts to make its voice heard.

Von der Leyen said that “whatever the design of a future peace treaty, it is clear that much of the implementation will come down to the European Union and the NATO partners.”

“One principle has been accepted: Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Nothing about Europe without Europe,” she said.

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