EU-Gipfel: Trump legt bei Selenskyj-Kritik nach - EU will deeskalieren

In an effort to de-escalate the escalating tensions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, EU leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels. At the summit, top representatives largely avoided direct public criticism and accusations against Trump, instead emphasizing the EU's support for Trump's proposal for an energy ceasefire.

The proposal called for Russia and Ukraine to temporarily abstain from attacking each other's power plants, refineries, and energy infrastructure. However, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pointed out that Russia was the one who had failed to maintain the ceasefire, even escalating the situation further. Zelenskyj made it clear that EU channels for communication with Washington remained open, and his team was in constant contact with American negotiators following discussions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other EU leaders.

Zelenskyj expects another meeting to be arranged in the coming days. Trump, in contrast, continued to criticize Zelenskyj, calling him an "unreliable negotiator" and suggesting that a deal could only be reached without him. He stated that Zelenskyj has "nothing" to offer the US in negotiations and expressed his belief that the ongoing war with Russia would eventually end without Zelenskyj.

Trump also accused Zelenskyj of contributing to rising oil prices by attacking Ukrainian refineries. The EU took a more aggressive stance compared to other parties, with EU Council President António Costa stating that it was time to increase support for Ukraine, maintain sanctions on Russia, and put pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and come to the negotiating table.

The EU's concern is that they cannot compensate for the technical and intelligence support provided by the US, so they must ensure that the conflict between Trump and Zelenskyj does not lead to a complete halt in US aid. Meanwhile, the EU is preparing to expand its support and increase pressure on Russia. Von der Leyen announced the working on a 22nd package of sanctions against Russia and additional aid for the upcoming winter.

She assured that Russia is attempting to destroy energy and water infrastructure, but they stand by Ukraine and will continue to support them as they have in previous winters.