During an interview on Euronews’ flagship morning broadcast Europe Today, EPP group MEP and former Estonian Army general Riho Terras expressed that «European citizens do not grasp how urgent the situation is. This concern extends beyond Ukraine alone.»
Estonian MEP Riho Terras (EPP) told Euronews’ Europe Today morning show in Strasbourg that «the Americans accept everything Putin asserts.»
He considers the 28-point peace proposal advanced by the US administration as «a Russian strategy aimed at forcing Ukraine to surrender,» with US President Donald Trump «just days away from conceding everything to Putin.»
«It is astonishing that Donald Trump is acting essentially as a messenger executing Putin’s capitulation plan,» Terras stated.
Last week, concerns were raised among Europeans following the leak of a peace agreement draft viewed as excessively favorable to Moscow.
The proposal, which has since been revised but remains unfinished, included demands such as downsizing the Ukrainian military, significant territorial sacrifices, and a NATO membership veto on Kyiv—terms widely interpreted as yielding defeat.
A delegation including US government representatives led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian officials, and European envoys gathered in Geneva on Sunday to negotiate changes. Europeans aim to secure more time for Kyiv and persuade Trump to shift his stance.
Speaking from Strasbourg on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that the «Russian tactics» of aggression persist unchanged, warning that Ukraine might just be the initial target.
To support Kyiv, which will need extra financial aid next year, European leaders are discussing the issuance of an unprecedented reparations loan linked to Russian frozen assets held in Belgium.
Sources informed Euronews that the Commission is working on additional legal measures to obtain approval from Belgian authorities, as Belgium controls these assets. The proposal could be released as soon as Thursday.
Frustration is mounting over Belgium’s slow progress.
Responding to this, MEP Terras commented: «We are already behind schedule; financing must begin promptly.»
«It is inconceivable that the EU, with a population of 500 million and a €29 trillion GDP, cannot provide Ukraine with a relatively modest sum.»
Terras concluded by emphasizing that «European citizens do not appreciate the critical nature of this crisis. The issue extends beyond Ukraine alone.»