On March 31, 2025, European diplomats met in Madrid to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the need for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.
Poland's Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, addressed the issue of foreign troops in Ukraine, emphasizing that it is up to Ukraine to decide if and when foreign troops may be deployed on its soil.
“It is Ukraine that decides if and what foreign troops may be on its soil. Ukraine and no one else. That has not yet been an outcome of any talks. If Ukraine requests security guarantees in the form of foreign presence, then the international community will decide what form that might take. What certainly is not to be permitted is for Mister Putin to dictate who may or may not be in Ukraine,” Sikorski said.
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, also spoke on the matter, calling for Russia to show goodwill. She mentioned that the U.S. should apply more pressure on Russia to end the war.
“What we need is also Russia to agree to this ceasefire and to move on, to show goodwill by you know giving back the Ukrainian children that have been deported to Russia or releasing the prisoners of war. I mean, many things that they can show. So I think the U.S. also has the role to put more pressure on Russia to stop this war,” Kallas said.
Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, discussed the idea of using frozen Russian assets in Europe to fund Ukraine. He mentioned that these assets could potentially be considered an advance payment for future war reparations that Russia might owe Ukraine on ways to help Ukraine in a consistent and predictable manner.
“War reparations should be handed to Ukraine at some point and this could be considered an advance payment on future war reparations. We are discussing in the European Union ways to keep helping Ukraine in a predictable and constant manner, how to fund them with the frozen Russian assets,” Albares said.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Minister, David Lammy, emphasized that peace in Ukraine was crucial not only for Ukraine's security but also for broader European and global security.
“We continue to partner with our friends in the United States to broker and to get the peace that the Ukrainian people deserve. But let us be absolutely clear: peace in Ukraine and security for Ukraine is also about wider security in Europe, and wider Euro-Atlantic security that keeps the global community safe,” Lammy said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot mentioned Ukraine's previous offer for an unconditional ceasefire and highlighted that Russia continued to commit war crimes.
“A few weeks ago, Ukraine agreed on an unconditional ceasefire, whilst Russia keeps perpetrating war crimes, and I say this on the third anniversary of the Bucha massacre. And I believe, Russia today owes the United States of America, who have committed to reaching a ceasefire, a clear answer on whether it wants to go on the path of peace, yes or no,” Barrot said.
The diplomats in Madrid called for Russia to engage in a ceasefire and work toward ending the conflict, with various European leaders offering different forms of support to Ukraine, including financial assistance and pressure on Russia to cease hostilities.
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