EU Versus Ukrainian Landing

Ukraine's president and European leaders today accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of delaying time in diplomatic efforts to end Ukraine's occupation and rejected any movement to force Kiev to hand over territory occupied by Russian forces in exchange for peace, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested.

The European leaders' “, as well as senior European Union officials, said in a joint statement they intend to continue with plans to use Moscow's billions of dollars in frozen assets abroad to help Kiev win the war, despite some doubts about legitimacy and the consequences of such a step.

In the statement, they voiced support for Trump's peace efforts in Ukraine, as he prepares to meet with Putin in Budapest, Hungary in the coming weeks.

“Leaders remain committed to the principle that international borders should not be changed by force”, the statement said.

Trump changed his view last month that Ukraine would have to leave territory and that it could regain land occupied by Russia.

However, after a call with Putin last week and a subsequent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymy on Friday, Trump changed his stance and called on Kiev and Moscow of “to stop where there are” in the war more than 3.

Trump said Monday that while he thinks it is possible for Ukraine to beat Russia, he now doubts this could happen.

Ukrainian and European leaders are trying to keep Trump on their side.

“We strongly support President Trump's stance that fighting should be stopped immediately and that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations”, the statement said.

“We can all see Putin continues to choose violence and destruction”, the statement said.

The dynamic of Trump's commitment to Europe's biggest conflict since World War II has changed direction as it seeks a peace agreement.

Russia has occupied about a fifth of Ukraine, but the breakup of their country in exchange for peace is unacceptable to Kiev officials.

Ukrainian and European officials also fear that a frozen conflict on the current front line could deteriorate, with Ukraine's occupied areas offering Moscow a springboard for new attacks in the future.

The declaration of leaders of Ukraine, Great Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Denmark and EU officials came to the table today.

The EU summit in Brussels on Thursday will likely discuss increasing international economic sanctions.

“We must increase pressure on Russia's economy and its defence industry until Putin is ready to make peace”, according to the statement.

A meeting of the Gates Coalition a group of 35 countries supporting Ukraine will take place in London./Periscopi/