More than 30 European leaders on Monday reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and called on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire on the fourth anniversary of the start of the Moscow-initiated war.
The joint statement after the virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing emphasized the permanent support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, with the message that international borders should not be changed by force.
The meeting was initiated by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke from Kiev, while the leaders of the Nordic and Baltic countries, the European Union and Croatia also participated.
The participants welcomed the efforts of the United States of America in the direction of peace negotiations, but emphasized that the process must include all relevant actors. Moscow was asked to seriously engage in negotiations and accept a ceasefire.
The leaders have announced a further increase in economic pressure through new sanctions, including measures targeting Russian oil trade networks and the so-called “shadow fleet”, used to circumvent restrictions, as well as Russia’s military-industrial complex.
The statement condemned the continuation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure during the winter, with the promise of additional support to Kiev, including air defense systems and financial aid. This year, more than 500 million euros were allocated for the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine.
The coalition also recalled plans for long-term, multi-layered security guarantees agreed earlier in Paris, including a proposal for multinational forces with the support of the US.
It was emphasized that military and financial aid will continue, including a credit package of the European Union worth 90 billion euros, with additional bilateral contributions from member states.
