23 November 2025
‘Borders cannot be changed by force’ – EU’s von der Leyen
As talks begin in Geneva on a US-proposed peace plan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has put forward a number of elements that Kiev’s allies in Europe consider “essential for a just and lasting peace and the sovereignty of Ukraine.”
one in statementHe said that “any credible and sustainable peace plan must first stop the killing and end the war, while not sowing the seeds for future conflict.”
He then said that “the borders cannot be changed by force,” in an apparent reference to the alleged demands in the US plan that Ukraine cede territory to Russia, which has seized parts of several Ukrainian territories during its invasion.
Von der Leyen also said that no limits should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces as stipulated in the plan, as this would “make the country vulnerable to future attack” and weaken European security.
He also stressed that any efforts to ensure peace for Ukraine must include the EU.
As a final point, he stressed that the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia is an “important element that should be part of any agreement.”
He said, “Of all the horrors resulting from Russia’s war, none is more serious than this. Thousands of boys and girls are trapped in Russia. Scared and yearning for their loved ones. We must put these children at the top of the global agenda.”
He said the EU would co-host a summit of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children with Ukraine and Canada.
“We will not rest until every single one of them is reunited with their families, in their homes, where they belong,” von der Leyen said.