EU shifts from calling for ceasefire to urging Russia to stop killings
Photo: US President Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and EU leaders at the White House (Getty Images)
The European Union has dropped calls for a "ceasefire" in Ukraine and instead began urging Russia to "stop the killings". The shift in wording is intended to draw the attention of US President Donald Trump, The Guardian reports.
This semantic change is directed primarily at Trump. European leaders and officials have reinforced the new message in their statements.
"The message for us is: stop the killing. Anything that stops the killing is welcome," said European Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podestà.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Brussels on August 17, echoed the same sentiment at a press conference.
"The effect must be stop the killing. That’s the most important part. Whether we call it a ceasefire or a peace deal, stop the killing," she said.
EU officials explained that Trump dislikes the term "ceasefire." Since using language that displeases Trump could spark tensions with him, EU leaders decided to adjust their rhetoric.
However, during the August 18 meeting at the White House, European leaders made it clear to Trump that while the rhetoric has shifted, the core demands have not. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron both confirmed this stance.
Trump recently dropped his demand that Putin agree to a ceasefire on the front lines in Ukraine after their meeting in Alaska. Instead, he has been promoting the idea of a peace deal.
However, this proposal is not supported by EU leaders. Merz stressed that a ceasefire remains a key precondition for Ukraine and Russia to enter negotiations, a point backed by Macron.
