Von der Leyen: how Ukraine's path to the EU will help with security
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes that the pro-European reforms that Ukraine is implementing on its way to the EU will help Kyiv guarantee long-term security.
She said this during a speech at the Globsec forum in Bratislava on Wednesday, Evropeiska Pravda reports.
Von der Leyen emphasized that a just peace for Ukraine should be long-lasting. And for this, she said, it must be strengthened in two vital ways.
"The first is to ensure Ukraine's long-term security. I welcome the ongoing discussions on how to guarantee Ukraine's security. There are various models and historical examples that can be used. A combination of such guarantees from like-minded states could offer what some have called "deterrence by denial." In other words, providing Ukraine with military equipment to defend against Russian attacks in the future," the European Commissioner said.
Secondly, she said, it is necessary to make it clear that Ukraine's friends will stay with it for a long time for the sake of its security.
"Such an agreement with security guarantees should be accompanied by a broader framework of democratic reforms in Ukraine. And here Ukraine's path to joining our Union will play a fundamental role. Although everyone knew that we were embarking on a difficult path, we granted Ukraine candidate status - and rightly so. Now we must stand by them every step of the way," said von der Leyen.
Author - Olena Madiak, 31/05/2023
