Ukraine’s EU backers on Thursday insisted Kyiv and Europe needed to be involved in any peace plan, as the United States pushes a new proposal that appears to repeat Russia’s demands.

“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” Kaja Kallas told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. Ukraine has received a new peace proposal from the United States, which requires Kyiv to cede land controlled by Russia and more than halve its army’s size.

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot insisted that peace in Ukraine could not mean “capitulation” for Kyiv. (AFP)