European Commission head outlines framework for just peace in Ukraine

The head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has outlined how she sees a just peace for Ukraine.

There are a lot of discussions today about various peace plans and a cease-fire in Ukraine, she said this on May 31 during a speech at the forum Globsec in Bratislava, European Pravda reports.

"First of all, there should be a principle: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Together with Ukraine, we seek a just peace that does not reward the aggressor, but supports the principles of the UN Charter and the right of the Ukrainian people to be masters of their own future," the head of the European Commission said.

She stressed that a ceasefire would lead to a frozen conflict and would not bring lasting peace.

"After all, there was a cease-fire after 2014, and we know what happened to that agreement last February when Russia invaded. A cease-fire would be inherently unstable and would destabilize the region along the line of contact. No one would invest and rebuild, and the conflict could erupt again at any moment," she added.

A just peace must end with the withdrawal of Russian troops and their equipment from Ukrainian territory, von der Leyen is convinced.

"President Zelenskyy has proposed a 'formula for peace,' which we wholeheartedly support. Each of its ten points is based on the UN Charter or UN resolutions. And he invited countries around the world to join and develop the 'peace formula'. So our starting point for peace is a rules-based order," said the EC head.