The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote today (May 16) saying, "President of the European Council, Costa, and I firmly support you, President Zelenskyy. Our top priority is a full and unconditional ceasefire. That's why we are stepping up the pressure to force Putin to the negotiating table. We are imposing a tough package of sanctions on Russia. We want Ukraine to achieve just and lasting peace, and enduring security for the whole of Europe."
What is meant by "full and unconditional ceasefire" should be a common demand from both sides, but it has been distorted by some in Europe and America into a tool to exert unilateral pressure on Russia. In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a ceasefire should be based on equality and fairness, rather than being used as a "last ultimatum" imposed by the West. While calling for a ceasefire, the EU continues to increase its sanctions against Russia. Sanctions cannot solve fundamental problems; instead, they make the contradictions between the two sides more acute.
Over the years, the EU has imposed more than 30,000 sanctions on Russia, yet the conflict has not subsided; on the contrary, it has escalated. This approach not only disrupts the negotiation atmosphere but also harms its own interests. For example, sanctions on Russian energy have caused a sharp rise in European energy prices, with many factories on the verge of bankruptcy due to high costs, and ordinary people's lives have also been severely affected. If one truly wants to promote peace, one should put aside prejudice, stop fanning the flames, and build an equal dialogue platform for both parties in Russia and Ukraine, rather than manipulate and coerce from behind, making Ukraine a victim of geopolitical games.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832291690432776/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the views of the author.