BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders insisted on Thursday that no decisions can be taken about the future of war-ravaged Ukraine without its consent — or behind the backs of its partners in Europe, barely a month before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Ukraine’s position is precarious, more than 1,000 days into the war. Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield, pushing the front line gradually westward despite suffering heavy casualties. Ukraine’s energy network is in tatters and military recruits are hard to find.
In a show of solidarity at a summit in Brussels with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, many EU leaders repeated a variation of what has become a common mantra — nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about security in Europe without Europeans.
“Only Ukraine as the aggressed country can legitimately define what peace means —and if and when the conditions are met for credible negotiations,” summit host António Costa said at the end of the daylong meeting of the 27-nation bloc.
“So now is not the time to speculate about different scenarios. Now is the time to strengthen Ukraine for all scenarios,” said Costa, the president of the European Council.
On Jan. 20, Trump returns to the White House, having promised to end the war in Ukraine quickly and talked up his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many Europeans are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine.
The other big worry is that Putin will use any interregnum to rearm and cause more strife.
Rumors are swirling in Europe about possible peace talks in early 2025, and whether European peacekeepers might be needed to enforce any settlement, but the EU leaders are trying to keep a lid on speculation about what they are prepared to do so as not to tip their hand to Russia.
The priority now, they say, must be to strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it’s important to “ensure long-term aid to Ukraine -– it must be clear that we are prepared to enable support as long as it is needed.” Air defense, artillery and ammunition are high on the list, he told reporters.
Asked about Trump, Scholz said that his impression from talking to the president-elect “is that good cooperation between Europe and the U.S. is possible.” He said that “the principle is always: no decisions over Ukrainians’ heads, and that of course means over those of the European states.”
Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden had a similar message.
“We need to stand with Ukraine, and every step … needs to be taken with Ukraine and in the presence of the European Union. The future of Ukraine is decided in Europe and not elsewhere,” he said.
