Ukraine Must Decide Its Own Future, EU Says

The people of Ukraine must be free to determine their own future. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine itself. Meaningful negotiations can only take place under conditions of a ceasefire or a de-escalation of military actions, as reported by dw.com.

On August 12, leaders from 26 of the 27 EU member states issued this statement together. Hungary did not support the call published on the European Council's website, regarding the peace talks scheduled for August 15 in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine.

In the document, EU leaders welcome Trump's efforts to put an end to Russia's war against Ukraine, but at the same time emphasize that a fair and lasting peace that brings stability and security must respect international law, including the principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inadmissibility of changing international borders by force.