EC President: We must put Ukraine in strong condition of negotiating such peace
Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, and it is necessary to put the country in a strong position to negotiate such a peace, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“No one wants peace more than the people of Ukraine. A just and lasting peace. Peace is not only the end of fighting, peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace is a settlement that makes war impossible and unnecessary. We must put Ukraine in the strong condition of negotiating such peace. And this is why the integration of Ukraine in the European Union is for us at the heart of our peace efforts,” she said at a meeting of the Ukraine Compact in New York on Wednesday.
In addition, von der Leyen emphasized that “putting Ukraine in a strong position is also about the economy.” She recalled that the G7 partners had announced a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, and confirmed that Europe would provide up to EUR 35 billion.
The EC President also addressed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, assuring that “together with our partners we are repairing, reconnecting and stabilising the energy supplies.”
“Ukraine is actively reaching out to the world, with its Peace Formula. And this is what the brave people of Ukraine deserve: a just and lasting peace,” she added.