“Ukraine’s future is in the European Union”: key statements of the historic meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Council in Kyiv

Ukraine hosted a historic event – the first meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council outside of the EU. The ministers of 27 EU member-states, demonstrating their support for Ukraine, arrived in Kyiv for the meeting held on October 2, informed FREEDOM.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, stated that the EU’s biggest security commitment to Ukraine is its future membership in the European Union. “We remember the high price Ukrainians are paying for their collective freedom, which is inseparable from our freedom. Our resolve is to support Ukraine for as long as necessary,” assured Borrell.

Borrell stated that the support to Ukraine would continue regardless of how the war of Russia against Ukraine develops in the near future.

Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba called the summit an important signal of European support to Kyiv.

“This is a historic event because, for the first time in the history, the EU Foreign Affairs Council is meeting outside its current borders, the borders of the European Union, but within the future borders of the European Union. This, in itself, is a message, a message of support that the European Union is giving to Ukraine, for which we are very grateful,” said Kuleba.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock supported these words. She stated that the European Union would soon stretch from Lisbon to Luhansk. She also assured that the European friends and partners will support Ukraine on this path. Baerbock also emphasized that Ukraine is capable of carrying out impressive reforms in the face of the terrible Russian aggression. This includes the fight against corruption and changes to the legislation related to justice and media. “With this meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, we are leading the EU where Europe’s heart beats the strongest – here in Kyiv, in Ukraine. Ukraine’s future lies in the European Union, our community of freedom, and it will soon stretch from Lisbon to Luhansk. It [Ukraine] also broadens its path to the EU with every village, every metre that it liberates, and every metre where it saves its people,” the minister said.

The main topics on the agenda included Ukraine’s integration into the European Union, demonstrating support, summarizing the results, specifically of Western military assistance, and further strengthening of the sanctions against Russia. On the sidelines of the event, the EU foreign ministers met with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“I am confident that Ukraine and the entire free world can win. Our victory, however, yours and mine, depends directly on our cooperation. The stronger and more resolute the steps that we take, the sooner this war will end. It will end justly. With the restoration of our territorial integrity and peace guarantees for all of Europe. Thank you for being here today. This is a sign of your collective support for Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine!” said the head of the Ukrainian state. In his speech, the President of Ukraine highlighted five important points of support for the country: protecting lives, the formula for peace, security guarantees, sanctions against Russia, as well as integration and rebuilding of the country.

Zelensky and Borrell also separately discussed further financing for Ukraine, the need to allocate a new, eighth tranche of EUR 500 million under the European Peace Facility (EPF) to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as to create a special Fund for assistance to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 20 billion under the EPF to sustainably meet Ukraine’s defence needs for 2024-2027. In addition, the parties stressed on the need for approval by all EU member states of the European Commission’s initiative on the creation of the fund that envisages the allocation of EUR 50 billion to Ukraine in the next four years, as well as the approval of the 12^th package of EU sanctions against Russia.

As a reminder, German political scientist and analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS) Andreas Umland stated that by helping Ukraine resist Russian aggression, Western countries and the world are defending international law and order, as well as their own interests. Accepting Russia’s territorial claims on Ukraine would open Pandora’s box.

Freedom