Any Ukraine peace plan needs Kyiv and Europe ‘on board’, says EU – Europe live

8.58am GMT 'Everything can be weaponised' in global trade, EU's trade chief Šefčovič warns in Brussels Meanwhile, European trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has said the decades old global trading system with secure global supply chains is over. In the wake of the most recent battle between the EU and China over the supply of chips for the auto industry, he told a conference in Brussels “everything could be weaponised”. Trade, he said, is the “new tool” in the trade wars now causing geopolitical waves between China and the US, Europe and the US with import and export bans being imposed at will by Beijing. “Europe for years, kind of relied upon the reliable global supply chains; this is a new situation. And suddenly we might have new tariffs, might have new exports controls. Simply, that system, which was built for decades, is not there any more. Everything could be weaponised. So unfortunately, it became the new tool in this, I would say, geopolitical competition.” A “well functioning World Trade Organization” with reforms was vital for the future of free trade, he added. 8.52am GMT Morning opening: EU meets to discuss the latest on Ukraine EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels this morning amid reported growing pressure on Ukraine to consider a secretive draft plan to end the war based on what effectively amounts to a capitulation from Kyiv. The draft plan, which was reportedly developed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would force draconian measures on Ukraine that would give Russia unprecedented control over the country’s military and political sovereignty. The plan is likely to be viewed as surrender in Kyiv. Related: US and Russian officials draft plan to end Ukraine war based on capitulation from Kyiv Arriving at the meeting, EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said: “What we as Europeans have always supported is a long, lasting and just peace, and we welcome any efforts to achieve that. Of course, for any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board, so this is very clear. Also, we have to understand that in this war, there is one aggressor and one victim. So we haven’t heard of any concessions on the Russian side. If Russia really wanted peace, it could have … agreed to unconditional ceasefire already some time ago, whereas we see again over this night bombings of civilians; 93% of Russian targets have been civilian infrastructure: schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, to really kill a lot of people and cause as much suffering as possible.” Kallas also confirmed that, to her knowledge, no European leaders were involved in preparing the proposal. French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, insisted that peace in Ukraine could not mean “capitulation” for Kyiv. “Discussions are needed for us to reach a just and durable peace in Ukraine, they should start with a ceasefire on the contact line that allows for orderly discussions on the question of territories and security,” he said. Spain’s José Manuel Albares also insisted that any peace plans for Ukraine must involved Kyiv and the EU. But not all are equally supportive: Hungary’s Péter Szijjártó said that the EU should immediately stop any future payment to “a war mafia” in Ukraine, as he warned that “it’s an illusion to say that the time is on the side of Ukraine.” The EU meeting comes as Ukraine mourns 26 people killed in a Russian strike on Ternopil, with 22 further people still missing. Related: Ukraine war briefing: rescuers comb through rubble after Russian attack kills at least 26 I will bring you all the latest reactions here. It’s Thursday, 20 November 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live. Good morning.