The draft conclusions of the Special European Council on Ukraine on 6 March did not meet with unanimous approval during a discussion between the ambassadors of the Member States on Friday 28 February. The amended draft is due to be discussed by the ambassadors on Tuesday.
While, according to one European source, there is a “very clear and united” determination on the part of 25 Member States to arrive at a common understanding of what a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and common security guarantees would look like, while continuing to show resolute support for Ukraine in achieving ‘peace through strength’, two Member States are more reticent.
While Slovakia would like guarantees on energy from Ukraine, Hungary is much firmer, refusing to discuss the draft conclusions, “considering that everything that has been said before is no longer valid”, according to this source. Budapest believes that the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council on 24 February with 10 votes in favour and five abstentions - from France, Denmark, Greece, Slovenia and the United Kingdom - should start the discussions from scratch. The resolution simply “urges an end to the conflict as soon as possible and calls for a lasting peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation”. It also deplores the “tragic loss of human life caused by the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine”, without distinguishing between the aggressor and the aggressed.
According to the draft conclusions of the Special European Council, dated 27 February and obtained by Agence Europe, the leaders should stress that, given the new dynamic of the negotiations which should lead to a “comprehensive, just and lasting” peace in Ukraine, there can be no “negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine” nor discussions which affect European security “without Europe’s involvement”.
“Ukraine and Europe’s security are intertwined”, the draft conclusions state. The text points out that Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has wider implications for European and international security.
Furthermore, in the Europeans’ view, a ceasefire can only take place within the framework of a comprehensive peace agreement, and “any such agreement needs to be accompanied by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine”.
The European Council should also reaffirm its constant and principled support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
Taking the view that, in order to achieve “peace through strength”, Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position “before, during and after the negotiations” aimed at ending the war, the EU should express its determination to continue to provide “enhanced political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support” to the Ukrainians.
Furthermore, “a Ukraine capable of defending itself effectively is an integral part of any future security guarantees”. The European Council should therefore call for “urgently” stepping up efforts, in particular with regard to the delivery of air defence systems, munitions and missiles and the provision of the necessary training and equipment to the Ukrainian brigades.
As part of this, leaders at the summit are expected to discuss High Representative Kaja Kallas’s initiative for stronger EU military support for Ukraine. Speaking at a conference at the Hudson Institute in Washington on Thursday 27 February, Mrs Kallas explained that this initiative was based on the GDP of the Member States, which would either ship munitions or provide funds for these munitions to be purchased elsewhere.
In its conclusions, the European Council should also stress the importance of stepping up work to support and further develop the Ukrainian defence industry and deepen its cooperation with the EU defence industry.
Lastly, the leaders should invite the High Representative to assess the conditions for a new EU contribution to security guarantees for Ukraine, “including by examining options for political, financial, or operational support notably through Common Security and Defence Policy instruments”. This should be done in consultation with Ukraine and like-minded partners and in the context of a future peace agreement, they said. The EU and Ukraine already signed security commitments last June.
When asked about European countries sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, Mrs Kallas explained in Washington that Russia did not want peace. “We need to put pressure on Russia so they would want peace as well. They are in a position where they don’t want peace”, she explained. And asked: “Why are we talking about peace keepers when there is nothing to keep?”
Ahead of the summit on 6 March, the leaders of Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Romania, Norway and Turkey, the Presidents of the European Council and the Commission, the Secretary General of NATO and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, will meet in London on Sunday at the invitation of the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who has just returned from Washington. According to the President of the European Council, António Costa, the aim will be to “continue the growing momentum towards strengthening support for Ukraine in the context of the Russian invasion and reinforcing European security and defence”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)