Von der Leyen Warns Russia Shows “No Real Intent” for Peace as Diplomatic Tensions Rise

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russia has “no real intent” to engage in peace talks, calling the Ukraine war “volatile” and “dangerous” during an address to the European Parliament. Her remarks came just before the Kremlin labelled peace-deal discussions as “premature”, even as the US intensifies mediation efforts in Geneva and Abu Dhabi. Ukraine has agreed to the “essence” of a revised peace proposal, though major disagreements with Moscow remain.

Von der Leyen reaffirmed Europe’s unwavering support for Ukraine and stressed the need for robust security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression. She also highlighted ongoing debates over the €210bn in frozen Russian assets held in Europe. While Belgium and several EU nations fear legal and financial risks in reallocating these funds to Kyiv, she insisted such concerns should not dictate Europe’s response. EU leaders are expected to decide on the issue in late December.

Meanwhile, European governments voiced frustration at being left out of recent US-led peace initiatives, including a 28-point plan criticised for favouring Russia. Despite calls from EU and NATO leaders to be included in future negotiations, Moscow has dismissed their involvement as unnecessary. As the US continues “shuttle diplomacy”, Zelensky seeks a direct meeting with President Trump to address key areas of disagreement, while Trump has expressed willingness to meet both sides only when a near-final deal is in place.

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