EU Council President says Europe is not giving up on support for Ukraine
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, European Council President António Costa said Europe is not giving up on its support to Ukraine.
“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 emphasised the importance of including Ukraine during future peace negotiations and that only they can define when there are conditions for a negotiation with Russia,
“Assuming concessions before any negotiation is a huge mistake.”
Costa’s statement mirrored the sentiment of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who also spoke at the conference earlier in the day.
Scholzstressed nothing should be decided about Ukraine without their involvement. He added that Kyiv cannot stand alone and requires continued support from both the EU and US.
Costa added that any future agreement should not just encompass “a simple ceasefire,” but that it must guarantee Russia ceases to be a threat to international security.
“It cannot reward the aggressor. It must guarantee that Russia will no longer be a threat to Ukraine, to Europe, to its neighbours.”
It comes only a day before US Vice President JD Vance criticised European governments’ approach to democracy.
Vance claimed the biggest threat to Europe’s security is not Russia or China, but instead is a “threat from within” due to a “retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.”
On Saturday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyywarned Europe “the old days are over when America supported Europe just because it always had,” and said the time had come to create an “armed forces of Europe.”
“A few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. Not evvel did he mention that America needs Europe at the table. That says a lot,” he added.
According to the Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, a European defense meeting could take place in Paris on Monday. No details have yet been confirmed.
