Only Ukraine determines what just peace is – New EU Council president

Antonio Costa, President of the EU Council, believes that it's only up to Ukraine to define what a just peace is in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Journalists asked Costa what Europe could do to achieve peace in Ukraine, which would be based on international law and would not mean surrender.

Answering this question, the President of the European Council said that the EU should always support Ukraine and stand by it in financial, political, diplomatic and military terms. 

"It is only up to Ukraine to determine when and how peace is possible," Costa said in an interview with Ukrinform.

Costa noted that many people mistakenly believe that if a ceasefire agreement is reached, peace will come automatically. 

"I’d like to stress that what we need is a just and lasting peace. And only Ukraine has the capacity to define what ‘just’ peace is to make sure that this peace lasts," he added.

Recently, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed his belief that newly elected US President Donald Trump would not agree to end the war in Ukraine on terms unfavourable to Ukraine.

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson took a similar position, expressing his belief that Trump would not allow Russia to win the war.

For his part, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Trump is "much stronger" than Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and could force the latter to end the war.