European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “While the war drags on, and while we continue to meet the daily needs of Ukrainians, we must focus on the way forward and support Ukraine as long as it takes.”
She presented three goals the EU should pursue in this context: “First, our goal should remain a just and lasting peace, not another frozen conflict. No one wants peace more than Ukrainians,” the EC President emphasized. According to her, the primary way to achieve this is through President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula.
“Secondly, Ukraine needs long-term security. We must ensure a stable military force capable of protecting Ukraine now and deterring Russian aggression in the future. So that history does not repeat itself,” said von der Leyen. In her opinion, this requires increasing the capacities of the European defense industry.
“Thirdly, the best way to ensure Ukraine’s stability and prosperity in the medium and long term is membership in the EU,” concluded Ursula von der Leyen.