EU Commission chief: 20-point plan on Ukraine taking more and more shape

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on December 12 that efforts to reach a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine are moving forward, highlighting the importance of a settlement that is both “just and lasting.”

In an interview at the POLITICO, von der Leyen said the negotiations are progressing and noted that a “20-point plan” aimed at guiding the talks is beginning to take shape.

“The negotiations about the agreement are moving forward. That is good, and the 20-point plan is taking more and more shape," she noted.

Von der Leyen identified three key challenges in the negotiations. First are the territorial issues, which she stressed must be decided by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine.

“The most difficult topics are, on one hand, the territories, and this is something which can only be decided by President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine,” she said.

The second challenge is ensuring robust security guarantees for Ukraine. Von der Leyen used a vivid metaphor, saying Ukraine must be a “steel porcupine” to deter any future aggression.

“The second most important topic is the security guarantees. These have to be very robust security guarantees. As I said, they have to make sure that there is lasting peace. And we always speak about the ‘steel porcupine’ that Ukraine has to be so that it is indigestible for any potential invader,” she explained.

Finally, von der Leyen highlighted the issue of frozen Russian assets, which the EU aims to redirect to support Ukraine’s recovery. She said the plan would allow Ukraine to use these funds as loans, repayable only if Russia fulfills reparations obligations.

“The third topic is the immobilised Russian assets, which we are working intensively on to make sure that we can take the cash balances, and then to Ukraine as a loan, for financing for Ukraine for the next two years. And Ukraine only has to pay back these loans if Russia pays reparations,” she said.

By Sabina Mammadli