The neutrality principle according to the IFRC:”In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.” The Movement must not take sides, or be regarded as doing so, either in its speech or actions at any time or place. Neutrality ensures the Movement has the confidence of all and can provide humanitarian support to all.[1] Embodying the principle of neutrality at all times ensures the Movement can provide medical assistance to civilians and wounded or detained fighters during hostilities without being perceived as interfering in conflict. It is of the utmost importance that all parties in a conflict understand and respect the humanitarian role of a National Society.”
The neutrality principle according to the IFRC:”In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.” The Movement must not take sides, or be regarded as doing so, either in its speech or actions at any time or place. Neutrality ensures the Movement has the confidence of all and can provide humanitarian support to all.[1] Embodying the principle of neutrality at all times ensures the Movement can provide medical assistance to civilians and wounded or detained fighters during hostilities without being perceived as interfering in conflict. It is of the utmost importance that all parties in a conflict understand and respect the humanitarian role of a National Society.”
I cannot see a better way to describe the European Union role in Ukraine-Russia conflict than the IFRC does, neutrality becomes essential to build peace, even if as now, seems a non-politically correct position. The Red Cross has played a fundamental role in conflicts from a humanistic perspective worldwide and becomes a role model. It is precisely their neutrality the axis of their mission and why not? success. The European Union has systematically rejected a neutral position and a peacekeeping contribution to a non-European country by boosting negotiation. Instead, it fuels the conflict even more with a determined political agenda on war, not on peace.
In fact, when we go through the EU foreign affairs and security policy, we may realise that the goals and mission are not related to be part of armed conflicts, only to exercise Diplomacy for peacekeeping purposes, along with strategic partnerships. In any case is not related to financially supporting armed conflicts on a never-ending basis, much less to subjugate the whole European Union into a war that does not belong to it, only to keep an economic partnership that originates with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement that entered into force on 1st September 2017.[2]
Peace is truly achievable, or at least the beginning of a new road for the historical Ukraine-Russia conflict, after the facilitation peace process made by Pres. Trump. A controversial leader that even within a peace process it becomes “persona non grata”, so those that support the push for a peace agreement.
One more piece of a perverse chess game of “victims-aggressors”, “tyrants-vulnerable”, along with the Media that decides who is who and why we must be on one or another side. This is the non-politically correct way to analyse any conflict, although, it seems not “allowed” to think that vulnerable are related to Ukrainian civilians, not their politicians, nor their armed groups like violent far-right Azov -repeatedly reported by Russian citizens in the Donetsk region.
Acuurately pointed out by the Guardian in 2014.[4]: “Azov fighters are Ukraine´s greatest weapon and may be its gretaest threat. The battalion´s far right volunteers¨desire to bring the fight to Kiev´s is a danger to post-conflict stability”
Also highlighted in 2014 by the BBC[4]: “As a result, the question of the presence of the far-right in Ukraine remains a highly sensitive issue, one which top officials and the media shy away from. No-one wants to provide fuel to the Russian propaganda machine”. Unfolded the true reason for the current silence of violent fascist Ukrainian agenda, for whom the EU becomes inexplicably in complicity with their crimes”. And although Ukraine is emphatically not run by fascists, far-right extremists seem to be making inroads by other means, as in the country’s police department. Ukraine’s public is grossly under-informed about this. The question is, why doesn’t anyone want to tell them?”
Not surprisingly, 63% of Ukrainians think that freedom of the press and media needs to be safeguarded a lot. [5]
Sadly, what is it truly at stake, is that the pursuit of peace becomes a currency that only serves for certain actors as politicians, institutions, or private interests, not civilians. The rest seems to be a game in which you must be part of one or the other side of the conflict. An extraordinary -in the negative sense- way to erase any attempt towards neutrality, facilitation ,or negotiation processes.
Recently, the 24th September 2026 in Parma, Italy, I hold the opportunity to listen to the Nobel Laureate Oleksandra Viacheslavivna. A Ukrainian human rights lawyer and civil society leader who heads the non-profit organisation Centre for Civil Liberties. In her speech, she made it clear that if Ukraine negotiates with Russia by giving part of tbe Donetsk territories, “automatically” Russia will invade the rest of the country. A surprising statement that serves to understand why there are no possibilities that Ukraine would negotiate without foreign pressure. It seems that the position from the European Union that after 4 years of war has poured 228 billion euros without pushing for negotiation as an essential -logical- condition for supporting. In addition, for 2027 there is already an outlined plan for an assistance package of 45 billion, defence capabilities of 31.7 billion and state budget support of 13.3 billion.
Far from “aid support” is a full engagement in a war against a long-term partner like Russia and a highly corrupt country like Ukraine.
Why has Ukraine become the epicenter of the European Union budget and geopolitical focus when it has been scored by Transparency International as 36/100 in 2024, ranking 104 out of 182 countries in the world[6]?
Recently, in November 2025, the Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies revealed that some of Zelensky´s close associates were involved in a plot to skim around $100 million from the energy sector[7]. The latest case follows a long history of systemic corruption cases since its dependence, which oddly that does not prevent the European Union to become a strategic top partner.
A neutral position is the correct position for the European Union towards a non- European country and a “non-existent threat” despite the “politically correct” speech. Besides, the European Union is going through important vulnerabilities such as slowdown in economic growth, with a decline in GDP growth from 5.1% in 2025 to 4.5% in 2026, however from the EU Commission they are “… proposing a €100 billion increase to the EU budget, with €67 billion to come from additional contributions by member states and €33 billion from additional borrowing. According to the Financial Times, half of this proposed additional spending would be earmarked for Ukraine, providing Kyiv with €17 billion in direct financial assistance and €33 billion in loans.”[8]
Within a pretended global political leadership, the EU condemns, impose sanctions, and invest billions with the clear intention to avoid negotiations, therefore does not deliver peace but an escalation of the conflict with no precedent.
A social media and even more powerful Media, bombing with news and biased information become the rule, for whom only through an intellectual analytical construction you may escape from. Not guided by freedom of expression but clinging to a status quo that doesn’t move forward.
How do we measure ethics in global leadership within biased economic interests? That is indeed the question, and neutrality -not indifference- is the answer that truly contribute to building peace.
Overflying Europe by Diplomacy, Negotiation, Neutrality for foreign affairs is the real mission for transparent, authentic, in accordance with the rules, peacebuilding foreign policies and security; the rest is pure -politically correct-politics…
[1] https://www.ifrc.org/who-we-are/international-red-cross-and-red-crescent-movement/fundamental-principles
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union%E2%80%93Ukraine_Association_Agreement
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/10/azov-far-right-fighters-ukraine-neo-nazis
[4] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30414955
[5] https://theconversation.com/amid-grinding-war-protesting-ukrainians-still-want-their-voices-and-values-heard-at-home-287823
[6] https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/ukraine
[7] ttps://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-corruption-scandal-explained-100m-plot-rocking-volodymyr-zelenskyy-energy-sector/
[8] https://www.eldebate.com/economia/20231030/ue-numeros-rojosnbsp-falta-fondos-comunitarios-dificulta-ampliacion-presupuesto_150074.html
