BRUSSELS, November 23. /TASS/. The European Commission insist that there must be no territorial concessions on the part of Ukraine, which must retain its armed forces, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
"First, borders cannot be changed by force," she said in a statement released by her press service ahead of the talks on the US peace plan in Geneva. "Second, as sovereign nation, there can be no limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave the country vulnerable to future attack and thereby undermining European security. Third, the centrality of the European union in securing peace for Ukraine must be fully reflected."
A diplomatic source told TASS earlier that Brussel’s key demands are to drop any restrictions on the strength of the Ukrainian army and the refusal to transfer of control over some of Russia's frozen assets to Washington, since this would undermine Europe's "steel porcupine" strategy."
According to the US-proposed plan, which was leaked to the Western media, the United States and other countries will have to recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, Donbass and other territories that Ukraine will have to give up. In return, Kiev will receive American and European security guarantees. A demilitarized zone will be created, and Ukrainian troops will be withdrawn from areas therein.
The Axios portal quoted an American official as saying that the line of contact between the nations in the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions will be frozen, and Russia will have to return some areas to Ukraine. The Ukrainian army will be significantly reduced and will lose long-range weapons. The deployment of foreign troops will be banned, and Russian will have to become an official state language. Bloomberg reported that the new US plan also provides for the lifting of sanctions against Russia.