In times when humanity faces critical challenges, it is important to understand what lies behind politicians' words, because the stakes of further actions are the security of Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world.
This was stated today by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her speech at the Munich Security Conference.
"At the center of everything is security for Ukraine, for our continent, and for the broader world. In this room, we all feel what is at stake. This is a historic moment. Great challenges are emerging, and there have been many discussions over the past three days. But it is always useful to look beyond words and recognize that we are only at the beginning of this process. It is worth summing up what the starting positions are," von der Leyen said.
She drew the audience’s attention to the striking contrast between the position of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and that of the Russian dictator.
"In the most difficult circumstances, President Zelenskyy is ready to work for peace that will be worthy of the sacrifices his country has endured, worthy of the (memory – ed.) of his fallen compatriots. As Zelenskyy has said from the very beginning, Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else. This peace must be just and lasting so that the horrors of the past three years never return," – these words were met with applause in the conference hall.
Von der Leyen noted that, on the other hand, President Putin also expressed a "willingness to meet," but there is a striking difference. It is Putin who has the opportunity to demonstrate that continuing this war is not in his interest. It is up to Putin to show that he is abandoning his intention to destroy Ukraine.
"Let me be very clear. Ukraine’s defeat could weaken Europe. But it could also weaken the United States, intensify challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, and threaten our shared interests. We see how all the autocrats of this world are closely watching whether there is impunity when you invade a neighbor and violate international borders or whether there is a will to deter it. They are carefully observing what actions we will take. That is why it is so important that we do it the right way," the President of the European Commission emphasized.
She remarked that Ukraine needs peace through strength. Europe wants peace through strength. And U.S. President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is firmly committed to achieving peace through strength. The head of the European Commission expressed confidence that, with joint efforts and the involvement of all parties, it is possible to achieve the desired result—a just and lasting peace.
According to von der Leyen, Europe is contributing to this. The total amount of financial and military aid that the EU has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion has exceeded 134 billion euros, equivalent to 140 billion U.S. dollars. This amount includes 52 billion dollars in military aid. Additionally, the EU has imposed large-scale sanctions that have significantly weakened Russia’s economy, practically eliminated its own dependence on Russian gas, and made all European countries more resilient.
"We are ready to do more. We are working with Ukraine on its accession to the EU. Because Ukraine is part of our European family, and its future is here, in Europe," the President of the European Commission emphasized.
