00:00European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated it is the right time to consider a formal mandate to negotiate
00:06with Russia during a closed-door meeting with European Union leaders on Thursday.
00:11While stressing that Kiev must remain in the driving seat of any diplomatic process, von der Leyen maintained that economic
00:18indicators prove Western sanctions are successfully forcing the Russian economy to run out of steam.
00:24The high-level summit in Brussels turned controversial after it emerged that European Council President Antonio Kosta had secretly instructed
00:32his chief of staff to open a communication channel with a senior Kremlin aide.
00:36The move left many member states in the dark, prompting a sharp backlash from eastern flank nations who insist the
00:44bloc must double down on sanctions rather than engage with Moscow.
00:47President von der Leyen defended the diplomatic outreach on Friday, asserting that Europe must be one of the central architects
00:55of a just and lasting peace.
00:57Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the gathered leaders that a ceasefire without firm security guarantees is not enough, reiterating
01:06that Kiev will not cede its sovereign territory.
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