Photo courtesy of RIA Novosti
MINSK, 16 August (BelTA) - European Union member states failed to promptly agree on a unified statement regarding the Russia-USA summit in Alaska, ultimately settling for a declaration by EU leadership, five of the bloc's 27 national leaders, and the non-member UK. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen published the text on platform X, TASS reports.
The document, titled “Statement by [European Commission] President [Ursula] von der Leyen, [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron, [Italian] Prime Minister [Giorgia] Meloni, [German] Chancellor [Friedrich] Merz, [British] Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer, [Finnish] President [Alexander] Stubb, [Polish] Prime Minister [Donald] Tusk and [European Council] President [António] Costa”, omits endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump's key position advocating long-term conflict resolution without preconditions for ceasefire.
Earlier, EU Commission representative Arianna Podesta stated that Brussels planned no sanctions easing. The Commission reportedly aims to adopt a 19th sanctions package by September.
For the first time since the start of Russia's special military operation, the document asserts that Russia “cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO”, while emphasizing that “it will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory”.
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