EU leaders have reaffirmed their firm and unwavering support for Ukraine, pledging to continue to provide political, financial, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic assistance.
At the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday (18/6), leaders reiterated their support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, and urged Russia to agree to a full, unconditional, and immediate ceasefire.
They stressed that only a settlement based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law can produce a just and sustainable peace.
"The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without Ukraine," the European Council said in its conclusions, adding that borders should not be changed by force and that the attackers should not be rewarded.
The Council welcomed the opening of the first negotiation cluster in Ukraine's accession process to the European Union on June 15 and said it looked forward to the launch of subsequent clusters under the bloc's performance-based expansion process.
EU leaders also "strongly" condemned what they described as Russia's latest escalation of attacks, including large-scale missile and drone attacks targeting civilians and energy infrastructure, as well as attacks on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery complex in Kyiv, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Council also condemned Russia's increasingly aggressive behavior towards EU member states, highlighting disinformation campaigns, threats to the EU's diplomatic presence in Ukraine, as well as repeated violations of the airspace and territorial waters of member states.
The leaders specifically condemned the incident when a Russian drone carrying explosives fell on a residential building in Romania. According to them, such events threaten the security of EU citizens and the stability of the region.
The European Union expressed its readiness, together with member states and partners, to contribute to "strong and credible security guarantees" for Ukraine, including through the Voluntary Coalition and cooperation with the United States.
The council also called for an acceleration of military assistance, particularly air defense systems, ammunition, drones, and missiles. In addition, they welcomed the implementation of the latest sanctions targeting Russia's shadow fleet.
In addition, they also urged the rapid approval of the 21st sanctions package, as well as reiterated the demand that war criminals be held accountable and that deported Ukrainian children and civilians be repatriated.
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