• 'I cannot see any scenario in which the European taxpayers alone will pay the bill. This is also not acceptable,' she says

GENEVA

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the bloc is readying a legal proposal that could include using immobilized Russian assets to help finance Ukraine, placing long-term support for Kyiv at the center of Europe’s approach to current peace efforts.

Addressing the European Parliament during a plenary debate on the EU’s engagement toward a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, von der Leyen said Europe must stay focused on what Kyiv continues to sacrifice.

She stressed that “Europe must keep up the pressure on Russia until there is a just and lasting peace” and reaffirmed, “Europe will stand with Ukraine and support Ukraine every step of the way.”

She outlined five core priorities guiding the EU’s stance, beginning with the need for any agreement to deliver real and durable security.

“There can be no limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks,” she said, adding that Ukraine needs “robust, long-term, and credible security guarantees.”

Her second priority focused on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Von der Leyen rejected any attempts to divide the country or redraw borders by force.

“There cannot be unilateral carving up of a sovereign European nation, and that borders cannot be changed by force,” she warned. She reiterated that “Ukraine's future lies in the European Union,” calling this “a core and essential part of any security guarantee framework.”

Turning to financing, von der Leyen said supporting Ukraine requires ensuring it has the means to defend itself. “In the absence of any real intent of Russia to engage in peace talks, it is clear that we need to support Ukraine to defend itself, and that starts by ensuring that they have the necessary financial means,” she told lawmakers.

She recalled that EU leaders agreed to cover Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 and 2027. “We, the commission, have presented an options paper. This includes an option on immobilized Russian assets. The next step is now that the commission is ready to present a legal text,” she said.

She made clear the burden could not fall solely on Europeans, adding: “I cannot see any scenario in which the European taxpayers alone will pay the bill. This is also not acceptable.”

Von der Leyen said her fourth priority is to recognize that the EU and NATO will bear significant responsibility for implementing any future peace agreement. This would include security guarantees, sanctions, reconstruction funding, and Ukraine's integration into the single market.

“Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about Europe without Europe, nothing about NATO without NATO,” she said.

Her final priority focused on the return of all Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia. “We will not forget them,” she said, stressing that Europe would not give up until each child is returned.

She closed by acknowledging the complexity of the moment but urged continued engagement. While the situation is “dangerous” and “volatile,” she said, Europe must pursue every effort “to stop the killing, to help Ukraine rebuild and reconstruct… and to forge a better future as a European future," as so far the bloc has "seen no signs from Russia of true willingness to end this conflict."