Concessions before any negotiations are huge mistake, EU to stand with Ukraine – European Council President
The EU will continue to stand side by side with Ukraine in negotiations, providing security guarantees, in recovery and as a future member of the European Union, assured President of the European Council Antonio Costa.
Today my message is clear. We are not giving up. We will continue to support Ukraine as an integral part of our project for peace. Only Ukraine can define when there are conditions for a negotiation. Assuming concessions before any negotiation is a huge mistake. Therefore, we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine: in the negotiations, providing security guarantees, in reconstruction and as a future member of the European Union," he said during his speech at the 61st Munich Security Conference.
Costa stressed that this is the common position of the European Union and Ukraine.
"What does a comprehensive, just and lasting peace mean? It means that peace in Ukraine and Europe’s security cannot be separated. It means that we take into account that the Russian threat goes beyond Ukraine. Russia dominates Belarus. Russia has a military presence in Moldova and Georgia. Russia casts a shadow over the Baltic States, the European Union’s eastern border, our democratic systems, our critical infrastructures," the President of the European Council said.
Costa noted that the world cannot give Russia the opportunity to attack again and cannot be a reward for the aggressor.
"It must guarantee that Russia will no longer be a threat to Ukraine, to Europe, to its neighbours. That Russia ceases to be a threat to international security," he said.
"In building this peace the European Union will fully assume its responsibilities. In a nutshell: there will be no credible and successful negotiations, no lasting peace, without Ukraine and without the European Union," Costa noted.
"Our defence spending rose by 30% since 2021. European Union countries that are in NATO now spend, on average, 2% for defence. Together we have reached the target. But we will do more. The European Union is a peace project by design. But we know that peace without defence is an illusion," he said.