European leaders push back on surprise Ukraine peace deal, affirm support for Kyiv
European leaders pushed back on Nov. 21 against parts of a new and controversial U.S. plan for peace in Ukraine, after being blindsided by a renewed effort to strike a deal with Russia without consulting them.
The plan would reportedly require Ukraine to withdraw from the part of Donetsk which they currently control, limit the size of its army, limit certain types of weaponry, and give amnesty for war crimes.
But European leaders said in a joint statement that the current front line should be "the starting point for any understanding and that the Ukrainian armed forces remain capable of effectively defending Ukraine's sovereignty."
The statement, which came after a phone call between the leaders of France, Germany, the U.K., and President Volodymyr Zelensky, also said that while they welcomed U.S. efforts to end the war, "any agreement affecting European states, the European Union, or NATO requires the approval of European partners or a consensus among the allies."
Zelensky said on Telegram following the call that Ukraine is working on the peace plan prepared by the U.S., and later added the plan should ensure that "Ukrainian national interests are taken into account at all levels of relations with partners."
The leaders' statement comes after Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, said on Nov. 20 to journalists in Brussels that any peace plan must be "supported by Ukraine and (...) supported by Europe."
"The pressure must be on the aggressor, not on the victim. Rewarding aggression will only invite more of it," she added.
The drive for peace is the latest in a string of peace efforts spearheaded by the Trump administration, which have often sidelined Europe.
Those included a grand summit in Alaska between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in August 2025. Three days later, a large delegation of European leaders met Trump at the White House to reassert Europe's stake in the process.
European leaders are set to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa on Nov. 22 to map out next steps, Bloomberg reported citing an anonymous source.
