Europe, in the context of a peaceful resolution for Ukraine, must be prepared to "enter the war," according to a report by the British television channel Sky News. The British network points out that the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine along the current line of contact, as well as the conduct of "special peace negotiations," should aim at "establishing a fair balance between the opposing sides and their conflicting goals." Evaluating the situation, Sky News states that a peaceful settlement of the conflict "would require NATO's European allies, led by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, to return their troops and population to a war footing, demonstrating a real readiness to enter the conflict."
US pressure for territorial concessions from Ukraine
Meanwhile, the US administration continues to pressure Ukraine to accept significant territorial concessions as part of Donald Trump's revised peace plan proposal. However, Kyiv believes that some elements of the US proposal favor Moscow, while the pressure exerted on Ukraine is disproportionate to that exerted on Russia. For its part, Kyiv assesses that the US pressure looks like an attempt to expedite the completion of the plan before consultations with European allies are finished. A US official denied these assessments, emphasizing that the United States is also pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to moderate Moscow's position.
European meetings and security guarantees for Ukraine
On December 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited London for meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. As reported by the French Presidency's press service, the main topic of the meeting was security guarantees for Ukraine. Details about the results of this summit were not made public. Earlier, Finnish politician Alexander Stubb referred to progress in the negotiations after Zelensky's meeting with the European leaders, estimating that cooperation and negotiation with Europe can be crucial for the future of the conflict.
The European stance and the pressure for a peaceful settlement
The US pressure, however, appears to be causing uncertainty in Ukraine as well, which cannot accept territorial concessions without consulting its European allies. European leaders, for their part, are showing a more cautious stance and warning of the need for a collective strategy before any major concessions. Developments are expected with the submission of new proposals from Ukraine and the European countries, while Ukraine continues to insist on the need to secure security guarantees and maintain territorial integrity.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών