Brussels 24.02.2025 The EU doesn’t manifest a united position towards the Russia-Ukraine war third anniversary, reflecting the broader complex context of the events. At eve of anniversary the U.S. Special envoy Steve Witkoff said that Russia should not necessarily be blamed for sparking the war in Ukraine, a position that aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent criticism against Volodymyr Zelensky for absence of democratic mandate, and endemic corruption.
President Trump said the only thing Zelensky “was really good at was playing Joe Biden like a fiddle”, attracting billions of the U.S. tax-payers hard earned dollars to Ukraine, half of which was “MISSING”.
(Image above: Minute of silence on the 3rd anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, EU Council, Brussels).
“The war didn’t need to happen — it was provoked. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians,” Witkoff said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on February 23. Witkoff presumed that Ukraine’s intention to join NATO instigated the war. “There were all kinds of conversations back then about Ukraine joining NATO. … That didn’t need to happen,” he said. “It basically became a threat to the Russians and so we have to deal with that fact.” Within this new outlook, reflecting the vision of the Trump administration, the EU has obvious difficulty to keep a monolith assessment of the ongoing Russian assault.
As follows the “unprovoked Russian aggression” version of dramatic occurrence doesn’t look tangible, and causes a considerable shift of the EU institution’s positions, reflected in tweets issued on X social platform.
On the 3rd anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, Europe is in Kyiv.
We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe.
In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake.
It’s Europe’s destiny. pic.twitter.com/s0IaC5WYh6
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 24, 2025
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The EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas tweets: “Today marks a grim milestone.For three years, Russia has brutally attacked Ukraine, trying to steal land that isn’t theirs. Right now, more than ever, we have to support Ukraine”. She also issues her remarks ahead of the Council of Foreign Ministers taking place today in Brussels.
Kallas issues on X her doorstep ahead of today’s Foreign Affairs Council:
Today marks a grim milestone.
For three years, Russia has brutally attacked Ukraine, trying to steal land that isn’t theirs.
Right now, more than ever, we have to support Ukraine.My doorstep ahead of today’s Foreign Affairs Council ↓ pic.twitter.com/GecMBrUcRe
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) February 24, 2025
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In spite of the position of the Trump’s administration, Kallas continued to defend Zelensky as a democratically elected leader and believes that Russian narrative is very present in Trump’s messages, clearly signaling her loyalty to U.S. Democrats, and previous administration. She regrets President Trump’s criticism of Zelensky, calling him a “dictator”, clinging to power, through omitting elections. Clearly her obsession with Kremlin, and shadows of the Soviet past, doesn’t contribute to an objective vision of the situation.
The position of European Parliament president Roberta Metsola appeared to be reserved, her wording most accurately hammered: “When three years ago, the people of Ukraine woke up to the grim reality of war, we promised them our unwavering support. We kept our word. Because that’s what friends do. Because this is not only about Ukraine. This is about democracy, Europe and everything we stand for.” She also drops the “unprovoked Russian aggression” narrative.
Three years of inspiration, resistance and defying the odds.#SlavaUkraini 🇪🇺🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/q9wF5EJ2qz
— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) February 24, 2025
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