EU Commission President Von der Leyen: “Decisions Cannot Be Made Without Ukraine at the Table”

Kokcha News Agency – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a bilateral meeting in Brussels, followed by a press conference. Von der Leyen stressed that Europe and Kyiv must have security guarantees in any potential peace deal with Russia, and she shared the view that no restrictions should be imposed on Ukraine’s military capabilities.

“We welcome (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump’s willingness to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to NATO’s Article 5, and the Coalition of the Willing, including the EU, is ready to do its part,” von der Leyen stated.

Von der Leyen Highlights Drone Technology
Von der Leyen mentioned that through the European Security Action (SAFE), a new financial instrument with €150 billion in funding, the EU is helping member states meet Ukraine’s defense needs and strengthen its defense industrial base. “I am thinking particularly of drones here, which are in our common interest,” she added.

“Decisions Belong to Ukraine”
Von der Leyen reiterated the EU’s support for Ukraine’s membership, emphasizing that it would serve as a security guarantee for Kyiv. “International borders cannot be changed by force. These are decisions for Ukraine and only Ukraine. Decisions cannot be made without Ukraine at the table,” she said.

She also noted that as long as bloodshed continues in Ukraine, the EU will maintain “economic and diplomatic pressure” on Russia. The 19th sanctions package against Moscow is expected to be prepared in early September.

“Peace Under the Threat of Weapons is Impossible”
Zelensky, for his part, stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “too many demands,” many of which are unknown. “If there are as many as before, it will take time to examine them all. It is impossible to do this under the threat of weapons. That’s why a ceasefire is needed, and we need to work quickly on a final agreement,” he said.

Zelensky emphasized the importance of the territorial issue, stating, “The Ukrainian Constitution makes it impossible to cede or trade territory. The territorial issue is so important that it should only be discussed by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., and the EU in a trilateral meeting.” He added that Russia has given “no indication” of such a meeting, and if it does not take place, new sanctions should be imposed on Moscow.

Zelensky also highlighted the importance of the U.S. working with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. “However, there are no details on how this will work, what the U.S. role will be, what Europe’s role will be, and what the EU can do. This is our fundamental task,” he said.

Polish Foreign Minister’s Statement
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski commented on the Coalition of the Willing meeting for Ukraine, stating, “I emphasized that for peace to be achieved, pressure must be applied to the aggressor, not the victim.”