EU chiefs on Monday hailed progress towards a deal to end the war in Ukraine but said there were still outstanding issues to resolve following urgent weekend efforts to revise a draft US plan.
“There is a new momentum in peace negotiations,” European Council President Antonio Costa told reporters on the sidelines of a summit in Angola, after EU leaders held an emergency meeting on the issue.
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“While work remains to be done, there is now a solid basis for moving forward,” added European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Costa said talks on Sunday in Geneva between US, Ukrainian and European officials resulted in progress “on several issues”.
“Some issues remain to be resolved, but the direction is positive,” he said.
He stressed that matters involving the European Union, “such as sanctions, enlargement or immobilised (Russian) assets, require the full involvement and decisions by the European Union”.
Von der Leyen, speaking alongside him, also welcomed the “good progress” made in Geneva.
She said the “core” principles the EU would insist on going forward were that “Ukraine’s territory and sovereignty must be respected -- only Ukraine, as a sovereign country, can make decisions regarding its armed forces”.
Von der Leyen noted that European leaders would hold a video call on Tuesday with the broader “coalition of the willing” of some 30 countries supporting Ukraine.
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Both leaders reaffirmed that the European Union would keep aiding Ukraine diplomatically, with military equipment and financially.
Von der Leyen underlined that “this is about the security of our entire continent.”
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