European Parliament leader: True peace isn't merely the cessation of hostilities.

The conclusion of a full-scale war should not only signify a ceasefire, as this would reward the enemy.

This was stated by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

"We all strive for peace in Ukraine. There have been numerous discussions, and there is a certain movement in that direction. But ultimately, it is up to Ukraine to decide when the appropriate conditions for starting peace negotiations will arise. And when that time comes, it will be Ukraine that defines what peace will look like. Nothing about Ukraine can be decided without Ukraine. The EU will stand by Ukraine just as it has from the very beginning," Metsola stated.

She added that the European Union (EU) will support any fair and sustainable peace plan that also aligns with Ukraine's interests. At the same time, the EU, according to her, must be at the center of this progress, as the end of the war should not simply mean a ceasefire that rewards Russia.

"It must be absolutely clear to Russia that it will never be able to attack again—neither Ukraine, nor Europe, nor its neighbors," the President of the European Parliament emphasized.

Possible Peace Negotiations

On February 18th, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after talks with the Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia, stated that "Russia is ready to initiate a serious process" to determine ways to end the war against Ukraine.

In particular, recently, President Donald Trump held discussions with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. He later claimed that the Kremlin leader allegedly wishes to stop the fighting.

However, as reported by Western media, U.S. intelligence does not observe any readiness from Putin for establishing real peace with Ukraine.