UN Security Council (UNSC) President Christina Markus Lassen expressed optimism for a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the Ukraine war.

Lassen, Denmark’s Permanent Representative, who assumed the Council presidency on Monday, said, “There’s hope for some kind of breakthrough in the peace process or at least a cessation of hostilities.”

At a press conference, she emphasized that “nobody wants peace more than Ukraine” and assured that the UN would support efforts that align with the UN Charter. She stressed that any peace deal should not reward the aggressor while punishing the victim and must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Explaining why five European nations abstained from voting on last week’s US-backed Ukraine resolution, Lassen said they wanted to ensure peace is achieved on the right terms, respecting Ukraine’s rights.

Regarding recent tensions with the US over Ukraine policy, she highlighted the need for Europe to be more self-reliant. She pointed to Sunday’s European Summit in London, where leaders demonstrated strong support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he was snubbed by former US President Donald Trump on Friday.

Lassen reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to the Transatlantic alliance with the US but insisted that the continent must strengthen its own strategic independence, stating, “Europe has to stand more on its own feet.”