site.btaEuropean Parliament President Metsola: EU Is Not a Bystander in Efforts to End the War in Ukraine

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola rejected suggestions Tuesday that the European Union has remained a bystander in the efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Metsola told the European Newsroom platform, a consortium of 23 European news agencies including the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), that nothing benefits those who oppose the Union more than seeing the Union describe itself as a bystander.

"We can do better and we should do better and most importantly we should be honest about where we should have done better. But we've never been spectators. And we should not be, ever, and take risks and be courageous," she said, answering a question from BTA.

Metsola described the conflict as escalating and underscored Russia’s unwillingness to engage in genuine talks. "This is a war that is worsening, worsening. They are being bombed. If there is something that this summer – which has been an awful summer – has shown us, it is the cynicism with which Russia approaches any semblance of negotiation," she said.

Her remarks came in the wake of two high-profile meetings in August. On August 15, U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the war, but the talks ended without a concrete agreement and did not reduce the intensity of the fighting.

Just days later, on August 18, the White House hosted a summit bringing together Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Following the meeting, Trump announced that he would seek to organize direct talks between Putin and Zelensky on steps toward ending Russia’s invasion. He also confirmed Washington’s backing for European security guarantees aimed at preventing another Russian attack once the current conflict ends.

For Metsola, the White House gathering was significant for its symbolism. She was happy "not because it’s a happy situation, but because there was a projection that if… on one day’s notice, you can have the Chancellor of Germany, the President of France, the Prime Minister of Italy, the Commission President, the UK, the Finnish President, all together, with one united voice – that should be celebrated, because that is a big thing," EP President said.