During diplomatic efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, European leaders have issued an ultimatum to US President Donald Trump: any peace agreement must not include amnesty for Vladimir Putin and his associates for war crimes committed in Ukraine. This statement, made by European Commissioner for Justice and Democracy Michael McGrath, became a new “red line” for Brussels, underscoring Europe’s growing concern that the American peace plan could “whitewash” the Kremlin of responsibility for its aggression.
The conflict in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and led to the destruction of cities and infrastructure. According to Ukrainian prosecutors, more than 178,000 investigations into alleged Russian war crimes have been opened since the start of the war. These include mass killings of civilians in Bucha and Mariupol, the bombing of maternity hospitals, the forced deportation of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children, and systematic drone attacks on the civilian population.
In November 2025, the Trump administration presented a 28-point “peace plan” developed by US Special Representative Steve Witkoff in consultation with Russian emissary Kirill Dmitriev. The document caused shockwaves in European capitals: it provided for the transfer of occupied territories (including Donbas and parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions) to Russia, the reduction of the Ukrainian army to 600,000 troops, Kyiv’s refusal to join NATO and, most controversially, “full amnesty for actions committed during the war.” This would have meant a de facto pardon for Putin, despite the March 2023 International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing him of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
Europe, which has become the main donor of aid to Ukraine, does not intend to remain silent. In an interview with Politico, European Commissioner McGrath stated bluntly: “Trump’s desire for peace should not allow Putin to escape responsibility for war crimes. We cannot abandon the rights of the victims of Russian aggression — millions of lives destroyed or broken, people forcibly deported. We have enough evidence.“ He added that any attempt to ”cover up“ Russia’s crimes would sow ”the seeds for the next aggression“ and become ”a historic mistake of enormous proportions.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stressed that Trump’s plan is “Putin’s wish list” and without the support of Kyiv and Europe, it is doomed to failure.
Europe’s support is backed by international mechanisms. In November 2025, a UN commission confirmed that Russian authorities had committed crimes against humanity, including drone attacks on civilians and forced deportation. The Council of Europe has already begun setting up a “tribunal for Putin” by signing an agreement with Ukraine in June 2025. This body will investigate not only war crimes, but also the act of aggression itself as a “crime against peace.”