EU member states, as well as other European countries such as Britain, now provide almost all the aid that flows to Ukraine, writes The Economist, quoted by Focus.
The publication notes that military integration continues, and a Franco-British initiative has also been launched to monitor compliance with the terms of the ceasefire.
In addition, payments on a new loan for Ukraine in the amount of 90 billion euros ($105 billion) will begin this month. Sanctions are also becoming increasingly strict.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's recent successes on the battlefield have revived hopes for a diplomatic settlement. Europe is seeking to take on the role that the United States has failed to fulfill.
“We will be part of the solution and we must participate in the discussion“, said French President Emmanuel Macron in February this year.
The publication noted that for the first time such words sound more like a statement of fact than a request.
“Europe's support has proven to be more sustainable than we could have imagined,“ noted the EU ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Maternova.
However, while Europe's taking the initiative gives it leverage, ministers and officials admit that their governments are still searching for a strategy that goes beyond ensuring Ukraine's survival.
The article highlights that in recent weeks, politicians have prematurely discussed sending an envoy to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, without a clear idea of what the Europeans hope to achieve. Interestingly, among the names mentioned were Angela Merkel and Mario Draghi.
However, on May 28, the EU's foreign policy coordinator, Kaia Kallas, refuted these assumptions:
"European officials are unanimous that Putin is in a difficult position. However, few see signs that he is ready to back down on his demands. This limits the possibilities for constructive negotiations.
One of the officials noted that Europe would have nothing to offer Putin except a gradual delay in the introduction of new sanctions.
"We are not against negotiations if they are real," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.
Some European governments want to understand Russia's red lines through "mediation" efforts that could involve individual mediators rather than governments or non-EU countries such as Turkey.
At the same time, serious negotiations with Putin, in which Europe would side with Ukraine as before, seem a distant prospect.
The most intense discussions about possible negotiations are taking place among the "E-3" countries: Britain, France and Germany.
The publication explains that this could rekindle fears in Eastern European countries, such as Poland, that Western countries may try to "recharge" their relations with Russia, bypassing them. Ukraine is also skeptical about this.
"If Putin shows a willingness to compromise, for the conclusion of a ceasefire, Ukraine will probably have to agree to the loss of territories in the eastern Donbas region. Apart from providing still-unclear security guarantees, the best way for Europe to soften this bitter bite is to accelerate Ukraine's EU accession process - something Ukrainians have been striving for since the Maidan revolution in 2014, the publication notes.