JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels just a day after the last round of U.S.-led peace talks took place in Moscow. There is no evident progress toward ending Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine. Teri Schultz reports that European leaders in both NATO and the European Union are redoubling efforts to provide military backup for both Kyiv and themselves.
TERI SCHULTZ, BYLINE: Many foreign ministers arriving at NATO headquarters expressed gratitude to President Trump for trying to end the war. Secretary General Mark Rutte went even further.
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MARK RUTTE: There is only one person in the whole world who was able to break the deadlock when it comes to the war in Ukraine, and that is the American president, Donald J. Trump.
SCHULTZ: Rutte says he and his team have been kept well-informed about the proceedings, but no European representative has been present at the talks. Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis finds that alarming and worse.
GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS: It is dangerous, and it's humiliating because what is being discussed is European security.
SCHULTZ: Landsbergis would like to see Europe stop hoping for an invitation to be by the U.S.'s side.
LANDSBERGIS: Instead of Europe begging for a place at the table, Europe should set its own table, with very clear proposals what Europe is going to do to help Ukraine, what measures are going to be used to do that and what Europe is going to do to help Ukraine win the war.
SCHULTZ: Estonia's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, echoed those thoughts in Brussels.
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MARGUS TSAHKNA: We must actually decide what we are going to do in Europe. Putin cannot decide over us. And as well, U.S. cannot make decisions instead of us.
SCHULTZ: One big decision Europe's debating is whether to use frozen Russian funds to help Ukraine. Across town from the NATO meeting, the European Commission proposed using about $100 billion worth of these immobilized assets as collateral for a loan to Kyiv, which would be paid back if and when Russia pays reparations for its destruction of Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out the legal and moral arguments.
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URSULA VON DER LEYEN: And we can equip them with the means to defend themselves and to lead peace negotiations from a position of strength. And since pressure is the only language the Kremlin responds to, we can also dial it up. We have to increase the costs of war for Putin's aggression, and today's proposal gives us the means to do this.
SCHULTZ: Many European governments think this is a brilliant idea, a game changer in the struggle to finance Ukraine. But there's one key holdout from the country holding most of the assets. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot says the commission proposal does not adequately share the financial responsibility for what happens should Russia sue and win the right to get the money back.
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MAXIME PREVOT: It is not acceptable to use the money and leave us alone facing the risks. We demand that the risks Belgium is facing as a result of this scheme are fully covered.
SCHULTZ: Von der Leyen says she believes the new proposal will address all of Belgium's concerns. She hopes to have a deal in hand in two weeks, when European Union heads of state and government hold their last summit of the year.
For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz in Brussels. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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