Comment of the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko on the statements of the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria

We are frustrated by the statements of the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria about the European future of Ukraine. We consider them to be strategically short-sighted and not in the interests of a united Europe. Such statements also ignore the fact that the vast majority of the population of the EU founding members support Ukraine's membership.

Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, has already noted that the Ukrainian people pay too high a price for the mistakes of many European governments. Their biased perceptions of reality have weakened Europe politically and economically, enabled Russia to undermine stability in the EU and embody hybrid aggression against European countries.

It seems that the current war, casualties, and destruction are not enough for them. Continuing to postpone Ukraine's EU membership or seek an alternative to it under various pretexts means indulging Putin's aggressive plans and slowing down the strengthening of the European Union by joining Ukraine's capabilities.

Ukraine has every reason to demand objective recognition of its merits and strategic role in the EU. Thanks to the indomitable will and courage of the President of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, Europe can live in peace today. Without exaggeration, our country has become an outpost for the protection of EU security, European freedom, and European values.