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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged that the European Union (EU) will continue to stand by Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia until an agreement is reached that delivers a fair and lasting peace.
Speaking to members of the European Parliament on Wednesday, von der Leyen said Europe would not abandon Kyiv at any stage of the conflict, even as diplomatic efforts to broker peace intensify under renewed US leadership.
She described Washington’s updated peace proposal as a foundation for further negotiations rather than a final solution, while warning that Moscow had shown little genuine appetite for ending the war.
“The environment remains unstable and dangerous,” she said. “However, there is a window of opportunity to make meaningful progress if the right decisions are taken.”
EU leaders have been racing to reinforce their political and financial backing for Ukraine amid concerns that early versions of the US plan favoured Russia’s interests.
As part of its strategy, Brussels is considering using frozen Russian assets to help finance a €140 billion loan for Kyiv.
Von der Leyen insisted European taxpayers should not bear the financial cost alone and confirmed that the European Commission was preparing legal proposals to advance the borrowing plan, despite concerns from Belgium, where many of the seized Russian assets are held.
EU officials are pressing for approval of the package at a leaders’ summit in December, describing it as critical for keeping Ukraine’s government and economy functioning.
The bloc’s foreign ministers also met on Wednesday to coordinate their response to the US-led talks and consider ways to strengthen pressure on Moscow.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the call for firmer action, arguing that Russia must be pushed into serious negotiations rather than being allowed to stall.
“Russia has failed to achieve its aims on the battlefield and is now attempting to reach them through diplomacy,” she said.
Kallas urged swift agreement on using Russian assets to fund Ukraine, saying such a move would send a strong signal to Moscow that Europe will not weaken over time.
She also rejected calls to impose limits on Ukraine’s military capabilities as part of any deal, stressing that restrictions should be aimed at Russia, not the country that was invaded.
“Any future agreement must ensure Ukraine cannot be attacked again,” she said, adding that responsibility for concessions must first lie with the aggressor.
