Standing with Ukraine every step of way

TWO YEARS ago, Vladimir Putin and Russia started a war against Ukraine and its territory, but also against a people and a nation with an iron will and hope for a better future. This is an unprovoked war against their European aspirations and against the fundamental values that they share with all other democratic societies.

In so doing, Putin also started a fight against all who value democracy, freedom, self-determination, human rights and aspirations. Some were surprised by Ukraine's heroic defence. But no one should have been surprised that when faced with oppression, subjugation and tyranny, they chose resistance.

This unjustifiable war against both modern reality and the strong tides of European history has been condemned by several United Nations General Assembly resolutions supported by a huge majority of countries worldwide, including TT. Russia has deliberately violated international law, humanitarian law and the commitments it made to respect and guarantee the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The appalling facts of this aggression are that is has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Ukrainians, displaced millions and led to multiple abuses, including many thousands of child abductions, and pushed many millions further into food insecurity and poverty.

Vladimir Putin is now under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. He is alleged to have committed war crimes in Ukraine concerning the deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

Today, on this tragic and poignant anniversary, it is a time to look deeper at how we got here and where we must go. The starting point is that Ukraine – and Europe – have shown that we are willing to fight and pay the ultimate price for the things that we believe in. This was one of Putin's greatest miscalculations in that month of February when he anticipated a quick lightning strike on Kyiv.

Instead of toppling Kyiv, dividing the EU and weakening NATO, the exact opposite has happened. Last December, the European Council approved conclusions on enlargement concerning Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. At the same time, NATO is expanding to new members, with Sweden and Finland significantly strengthening its position on land and sea against Russia.

With the support of the EU and our allies, Ukraine has not only held firm against a larger country, larger army and larger economy, but it has retaken more than half of the territory that Russia occupied at the start of this conflict. It is this indomitable spirit that we have to keep in mind across the democratic world at this juncture of the war and to continue until "right prevails over might."

Europe will be at Ukraine's side every single day of the war, and for every single day thereafter. This is what it means to be European: to believe in a democratic order for a destiny that is built on the everyday desire to leave behind a better future in which our children can flourish.

Right from the start, the international community and Ukraine have made tremendous efforts to ensure justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators of crimes committed in Ukraine, and have accomplished substantial progress and will continue its support as long as it takes.

Europe will keep up the momentum to support Ukraine and to protect our future and the future of like-minded democracies. This means thinking about reconstruction, about security commitments, about strengthening the international system to avoid any repeats or reruns.

It also means continuing to provide support in every way we can. This includes supporting Ukraine on its path towards membership of the European Union.

Ukraine has recently given itself new legislation to expand national minority rights, to improve the judicial system, and to ensure checks and balances on power. This progress is happening not just because Europe is asking for it, but because this is the deep desire of the people of Ukraine. Ukraine is Europe, because Europe is in the hearts and minds of Ukrainians, and Ukraine’s future is within the European Union.

The anniversary that we mark today is a tragic tale of human loss and suffering. It is all the more tragic as we know there will be more pain and suffering ahead. We know how much is at stake for those in Ukraine, for the rest of us in Europe, and worldwide. Putin's fantasy and fabricated war – and Ukraine's heroic resistance – has reminded us that our freedoms and our democracy are worth fighting for. So today we pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in fighting for those values.

Only such a peace that would be based on the principles of the UN Charter and norms of international law would be a comprehensive, just and lasting one. This is the logic of both the UN General Assembly resolution, adopted on February 23, 2023, by 141 UN member states, including TT, and Ukraine’s peace formula. Ukraine will prevail and Europe will stand with Ukraine every step of the way.

Delegation of the European Union

Federal Republic of Germany

Kingdom of Spain

French Republic

Kingdom of the Netherlands

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Ukraine