Europe cannot allow Putin to pursue Ukraine peace plan with no fair outcome - PM

RIGA - Europe cannot allow Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to achieve a peace plan for Ukraine that has no fair outcome and no certain consequences for Putin's violation of international law, Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) told reporters on Tuesday after a government meeting.

She noted that the leaders of the Baltic and Nordic countries (NB8) always communicate when there is a major turning point in bringing peace to Ukraine. The leaders of the NB8 also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had shared his vision of the plan, "realizing that it was most likely the plan that was leaked, not by the US or Ukraine, but by Russia or those acting in their interests".

The Prime Minister admitted that Ukraine's interests had not really been taken into account in the plan. Nor has the issue of Russia's frozen assets been in line with the interests of European countries.

Silina stressed that Ukraine certainly wants peace, but the question is at what price. Europe, as Silina pointed out, is also aware that the outcome of this plan will be that it will either allow "Putin to act in Europe" or that it will still be possible to ensure that he has no chance in Europe.

After talks with her counterparts on Tuesday evening, the Prime Minister said that the peace process is in a better place now than it was a few days ago and that the talks between the US and Ukraine, with the involvement of European countries, will continue.

The State Chancellery told LETA that the Prime Minister discussed support for Ukraine and further coordination with the Coalition of the Willing Partners, the President of Ukraine and the US Secretary of State yesterday evening.

As the Prime Minister underlines, while peace talks are ongoing and Russian aggression continues, everything possible must be done to support Ukraine.

It has already been reported that the 28-point plan proposed by the US was very favorable to Russia in its initial version. It required Ukraine to return to Russia the territories it had occupied, as well as those territories that Russia had not conquered at all. It also required Kyiv to commit itself never to join NATO and to reduce its army.

At the weekend, during talks between US, Ukrainian and European representatives in Geneva, the US plan was refined to take more account of Ukraine's position.

Among other things, the plan would use Russian assets frozen in Europe in US-led projects to rebuild Ukraine after the war.