The EU, categorical after JD Vance confirmed that the US -proposed peace agreement for Ukraine provides territorial concessions
A pro-Ukraine banner, held in Brussels before the extraordinary European Council on Thursday, March 6. Photo: Omar Havana / Ap / Profimedia
The European Union again expressed its support for Ukraine's territorial integrity on Wednesday, stressed that the Crimea Peninsula occupied by Russia is part of the territory of Ukraine and urged Kiev to continue to consolidate military so that they have more power in peace negotiations, informs EFE and Agerpres news agencies.
“We are with Ukraine, we support its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and when it comes to Crimea, the position is very clear: Crimea is Ukraine,” said the spokesman Guillaume Mercier during the daily press conference of the European Commission (EC).
The spokesman of what he answered thus to the journalists' questions about the “final offer” that US President Donald Trump has made to get peace in Ukraine.
Trump's “final offer”, revealed: Ukraine, pressed to accept the Russian occupation / list of concessions granted to Moscow / What does Kiev receive
“Nothing will happen without Ukraine and without the EU”
Mercier welcomed all the diplomatic efforts “who respects the UN Charter to bring peace to Ukraine” and assured that the EU continues to work in this direction “at all levels”.
“Our position on peace negotiations was very clear: it is up to Ukraine to establish the conditions for just and sustainable peace and nothing will happen without Ukraine and without the EU,” he said.
At the same time, Mercier insisted that “the stronger the Ukraine is on the battlefield, the stronger the negotiation table” and stressed that he hopes that diplomatic efforts will continue to “support Ukraine, his right to defense and a long and lasting peace.” “This is our commitment for three years,” he concluded.
“First, Russia has to put an end to the war”
For his part, the spokesman for the EC, Ariana Podesta, stressed that the EU “said from the first day and continues to hold on to this: we support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and support the conditions that are acceptable to Ukraine in the first place.”
She added that she did not see “any sign of goodwill from Russia in this matter”, and “the cessation of fire led to several attacks on the Ukrainian territory”, recalling that the EU has adopted sanctions against Moscow because “Russia began this war in Ukraine.”
“First, Russia has to put an end to its war of aggression,” added Ariana Podesta.
The Russians used the Easter armistice to launch a large-scale artillery offensive, in one of the hottest areas on the front, accuse the Ukrainian army
Vance's ultimatum: “I had a very explicit proposal and it's time for them to accept it”
The EU reaction and several European countries come in the context in which US Vice -President JD Vance, visiting India, said on Wednesday that the peace agreement proposed by his country for Russia and Ukraine is based on accepting territorial concessions by both countries.
“We presented a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians and the time has come for them to accept it or that the United States will withdraw from this process,” said the US Vice -President at the airport in Indian Agra, after a visit to Taj Mahal.
JD Vance, ultimatum for Ukraine and Russia: “It's time to say yes”
Vance explained that this “very explicit proposal” establishes a way to follow, in which each camp would give up some of the territory it currently controls.
“The current lines, or a place close to them, is the place where, ultimately, I think the new borders of the conflict will be defined,” said Vance, suggesting that the US are considering that would probably strengthen a territorial division near the current lines of the front.
The US Vice -President defended the intense diplomatic work carried out to understand “what matters most for Ukrainians? What does most matter to the Russians?”.
“I think I have developed a very correct proposal. I am confident that Europeans, Russians and Ukrainians will finally manage to solve this situation. I reiterate my optimism in this regard. I think everyone has negotiated with good faith, but it is time to do, if not the final step, one of the definitive ones,” said JD Vance.
What London and Paris say about Vance's ultimatum about the Ukraine war. “These are very strong demands of Europeans”
