European Union leaders strongly opposed premature peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia before the European Council meeting in Brussels on 19 December, emphasizing the need for increased support for Ukraine.
In her comments before the Council’s meeting, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas stated,
“Any push for negotiations too soon will actually be a bad deal for Ukraine.” She emphasized that “all the other actors in the world are carefully watching how we act in this case.“
“Russia is not invincible”
Kallas drew attention to global power dynamics, noting that Russia, Iran, and North Korea are “acting very clearly together in terms of military power,” while China is “more covertly using the economic clout that we have against us.” She cited Syria’s fall of the Kremlin-allied Assad regime as evidence that “Russia is not invincible,” urging the EU not to underestimate its own strength.
“We see this struggle between the forces that want to have the world order where might makes right,” Kallas said, contrasting it with the EU’s vision of a rules-based international order.
She stressed that the EU becomes a “great power if we act together.“
No sustainable peace in current conditions
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda echoed the EU top diplomat’s sentiments, warning that current conditions would not lead to sustainable peace.
“Russia is in the offensive mode. Russia is going forward. Russia feels to be a stronger side in every possible negotiations,” Nausea said.
The Lithuanian President expressed strong concerns about the current state of support for Ukraine:
“Unfortunately, we are not delivering. I told it many times that a lot of promises, but not so many promises you could keep,” he said, noting that the European Peace Facility remains closed due to some EU members’ reluctance, implying the pro-Russian Orbán regime in Hungary, blocking the EU aid for Ukraine.
Nauseda emphasized the need for concrete action rather than discussion.
“We have to stop to be countless discussions club in Europe. We have to be really strategic player, global strategic player,” he stated.
European Council President António Costa reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, stating,
“We could count on our full and unwavering support, whatever it takes, and for the time it was necessary.”
In his “doorstep” comments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined key priorities, including protection of Ukraine’s energy sector, nuclear safety, gas storage security, and increasing domestic military production.
“We need very much unity between the United States and EU and countries of Europe” next year, Zelenskyy emphasized.
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