Leaders pose for a group photo on the opening day of the G20 Leaders' Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Yves Herman/Pool Photo via AP)
European leaders said Saturday that a 28-point peace plan from the United States for ending the war in Ukraine is a starting point but still needs further development.
In a joint statement issued after a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the Group of Seven nations and several European leaders said the proposal from the administration of US President Donald Trump, who is currently in office, “includes important elements” but is not yet complete.
“The initial draft of the 28-point plan includes important elements that will be essential for a just and lasting peace,” the leaders said, according to Reuters. “We believe therefore that the draft is a basis which will require additional work.”
They also restated that borders “must not be changed by force” and voiced concern about parts of the plan that propose limits on Ukraine’s armed forces. Such limits, they said, “would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack”.
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The statement added that any sections referring to the European Union or NATO would require their approval.
After the summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he told Trump in a long call on Friday that Europe must be involved in any process to end the conflict.
“If Ukraine loses this war and possibly collapses, it will have an impact on European politics as a whole,” Merz said. “And that is why we are so committed to this issue.” He added: “I made this position clear to him.”
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Leaders pose for a group photo on the opening day of the G20 Leaders' Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Yves Herman/Pool Photo via AP)
