European leaders meet in South Africa 'US Ukraine peace plan'

European leaders were set to meet in South Africa on Saturday to hash out alternatives to a US plan to halt Russia’s war in Ukraine, seen as favouring Moscow, nearly four years after it invaded its neighbour.

The 28-point blueprint to end the Kremlin’s aggression sparked alarm in Kyiv and European capitals, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying on Friday that his country



could face a stark choice between standing up for its sovereign rights and preserving the American support it needs.

European countries see their own future at stake in Ukraine’s fight to beat back Russia, and have insisted on being consulted in peace efforts. On Saturday, they prepared to meet on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a show of support to Kyiv.