Secretary General Alain Berset on Alaska talks: The war must end — and it must end fairly
Council of Europe
Secretary General
Strasbourg
11 August 2025
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, made the following statement today: "When the eyes of the world turn to the peace talks in Alaska on Friday, we will face a single question: will peace in Ukraine be built on justice or shaped by concessions to aggression?
The line between pragmatism and fairness is thin, and President Trump's efforts to stop the killings while not conceding to aggression are commendable. The position of the Council of Europe is clear: peace must be sustainable and just — and it must be made with Ukraine. As President Zelenskyy has said, any agreement without Kyiv will amount to "dead decisions."
Since the first day of Russia's full-scale invasion, the Council of Europe has acted on these principles, including through our most ambitious Action Plan to date, "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction". Developed with international partners, it strengthens the judiciary, fights corruption, ensures accountability for wartime violations, and supports Ukraine's path toward EU membership.
In the coming days, I will meet President Zelenskyy in Kyiv ahead of Ukraine's Independence Day to advance and strengthen our cooperation under the Action Plan, which is guiding Ukraine's recovery in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
The war in Ukraine must end — and it must end fairly. The foundations of a rules-based international order, built after the Second World War, must hold.
The Ukrainian people have sustained the fight and paid the highest price. Future generations will carry the weight of what is decided now. But they will not carry it alone. The Council of Europe stands with Ukraine — in war and in peace — committed to its recovery and to a European future true to our common values".
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