Russia’s mindset has not changed since Yalta, says Von der Leyen, as EU discusses Ukraine peace plan – Europe live | Europe

The President of the European Commission also saysThat is the key principle that must be respected by any future peace agreement, such as “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about Europe without Europe, nothing about NATO without NATO.”

he then Talks about the need to ensure the return of “every Ukrainian child kidnapped by Russia”. Saying that Europe “will not forget them.”

He ends with something Very cautious optimism on talks As she puts it, “the days ahead are fraught with danger,” and “the situation is complex,” but “I believe there is also an opportunity here to make real progress.”

“As yet, We have seen no sign of a true desire on the part of Russia to end this conflict. So we must keep up the pressure on Russia, but it is also our duty to engage in all efforts that can bring about a just and lasting peace,” she says.

,We know it won’t be easy, but we have to find a way to move forward. We must find a way to stop the killings, help rebuild and reconstruct Ukraine, bring children back, and reunite families. We have to find a way to provide lasting security for Ukraine and our continent as a whole, and above all… create a better future for Ukraine, a European future,” she says.

This is where his speech ends.

Von der Leyen also speaks about the need to secure Ukraine’s financial needs As she says, “In the absence of any real intention from Russia to engage in peace talks, it is clear that we need to support Ukraine for its own defense.”

you will remember that The EU has been involved in discussions for several months on the use of frozen Russian assets for “compensation loans” to UkraineBut outstanding legal questions – particularly from Belgium, which hosts Euroclear which holds the bulk of these assets – continue to prevent it from moving forward. The next round of talks on this are expected to take place at the European Council summit in Brussels next month.

von der Leyen says The Commission is now ready to present the legal text onAnd emphasizes that she “cannot see any scenario in which European taxpayers would foot the bill alone.”

Von der Leyen also says the same Ukraine should be free to choose its own future and its “European destiny” to one day join the EU.

“It is not just a matter of destiny. It is a core and essential part of any security guarantee frameworkAnd we will make every effort to accomplish this together,” she says.

On the latest talks, von der leyen clearly welcomes Trump-led peace efforts, and says “we know a lot more effort is needed.”But… thanks to the work of Ukraine, the US and us Europeans over the past few days in Geneva, we have a starting point.

she says The agreement needs to provide a “just and lasting peace” and “genuine security for Ukraine and Europe”. Having no limits on Ukraine’s armed forces, he warned, “would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks.”

“This is aThis is as much about deterrence as it is about the security of Europe, because the security of Ukraine is the security of Europe,She says.

she also says Ukraine’s sovereignty needs to be upheld in the agreement as she warns, “We know that Russia’s mentality has not changed since the days of Yalta, “Looking at our continent in the context of our sphere of influence.”

,Therefore we must be clear that there cannot be a unilateral formation of a sovereign European nationAnd those boundaries cannot be changed by force. If we legalize and formalize the weakening of borders today, we open the door to more wars tomorrow, and we cannot let that happen,” she says.

von der leyen Then let’s turn to the current situation with emphasis on “Europe will stand with Ukraine and support Ukraine every step of the way.”

he again bCriticized Russia for increasing its attacks despite diplomatic talks to end the warAnd warns against Moscow’s neo-imperialist aspirations.

She says:

“From the beginning, R.America has always believed that they can outmaneuver Ukraine, Europe, and all of its allies. and that’s why, Every time serious progress is made toward negotiations that could bring real peace, the violence increases. We have seen this before also. This is a pattern, and the voices coming from the Kremlin over the past few days say a lot about its real intentions.
For them, Ukraine remains the first step in a bigger game for Russia. Any peace agreement is about permanently redrawing maps; It is about a return to great power relationships and spheres of influence.
But For Ukraine and Europe, any peace agreement is about building a just and lasting peace, “Peace that stops this conflict and does not sow the seeds for new future conflicts.”

Starting his speech in the European Parliament, The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, recalls the Russian attack on Ternopil last week, In which at least 34 people, including six children, were killed and about 100 others were injured.

She pays tribute to the victims, to specifically mention A seven-year-old Polish girl named Amelka, Who died in the “brutal” attack.

“More than three and a half years have passed in this war of aggression, This is the ground reality, And it shows what Ukraine is sacrificing, what Ukraine is fighting for, its security, its freedom, its independence that we can never forget, because ultimately, that’s what’s at stake,” he said.

Morning opening: EU to discuss Ukraine peace plan

jacob grace

US President Donald Trump has said his plan to end the war in Ukraine is “fine” and he is sending envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Vladimir Putin and US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials.

But, despite the usually pompous rhetoric, It appears that many fundamental issues still remain to be resolvedRussia has already indicated that it is not happy with some of the counterproposals.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Will be speaking in the European Parliament over the next few minutes to update EU MPs on these negotiations EU foreign ministers will hold talks later this morning.

Today’s conversation comes after revelations overnight Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff A senior Kremlin official said last month that to achieve peace in Ukraine, Russia would have to gain control of Donetsk and potentially lead to a separate territorial exchange. According to a recording of their conversation obtained by Bloomberg.

I will be bringing you all the major updates throughout the day.

Its Wednesday, 26 November 2025, Its jacob grace here, and this is Europe Live.

Good morning.