EU chief vows to back Ukraine 'every step' until peace

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed Wednesday that Europe would keep supporting Ukraine and pressuring Russia until a "just and lasting peace", calling a revised US plan a "starting point" to end the war.

"I want to be clear from the very outset: Europe will stand with Ukraine and support Ukraine every step of the way," von der Leyen told EU lawmakers.

Europe has been scrambling to shore up Kyiv and assert its own influence after the United States produced a plan to end the fighting that was heavily slanted towards Russia's demands.

The European Commission president said days of negotiations to refine the US plan had begun to lay the groundwork for a possible settlement, but warned Russia showed no sign of really wanting to stop the war.

"Yes, the situation is volatile. Yes, the situation is dangerous. But I believe there is also an opportunity here to make real progress," she said.

As the United States has stepped up its efforts to stop the fighting, the EU is wrangling over proposals to use frozen Russian assets to fund a 140-billion-euro ($162 billion) loan for Kyiv. 

Von der Leyen said her executive was preparing to present a legal text for the loan as Belgium -- where the bulk of the assets are held -- holds up the plan. 

"To be very clear -- I cannot see any scenario in which the European taxpayers alone will pay the bill," she said. 

Officials hope EU leaders will formally approve the loan plan -- seen as crucial for keeping Kyiv afloat -- at a summit in December.

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In the latest step of the diplomatic dance unleashed by the US, EU foreign ministers also held hastily arranged talks Wednesday on the bloc's response. 

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the need to ramp up backing for Kyiv and try to force Russia to make concessions

"We still need to get from a situation where Russia pretends to negotiate to a situation where they need to negotiate," Kallas said. 

"Putin cannot achieve his goals on the battlefield, so he will try to negotiate his way there."

Kallas said the bloc needed to make the decision "fast" on using the Russian assets to fund Ukraine. 

"It would send the strongest message to Moscow that it cannot wait us out," she said. 

The EU's top diplomat also pushed back on placing curbs on Ukraine's armed forces as part of any deal, pointing out it was Russia that was the aggressor.

"The focus should be on what kind of concessions, limitations we see from the Russian side, so that it wouldn't go any further and they wouldn't have the chance to invade again," she said. 

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