European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed on Tuesday the strategic importance of Ukraine’s path toward the European Union, following a teleconference of EU leaders on the status of peace negotiations. She noted that membership is not only a driver of prosperity but also a fundamental security guarantee for the entire continent.
The leaders spoke at noon Cyprus time, according to a spokesperson for Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who joined the meeting remotely. The initiative was led by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, acting as the informal host of the “Berlin Group.” In a public statement, Merz said that transparency and honesty are now required from all sides, including Russia.
The President of the European Council, António Costa, also took part and thanked Chancellor Merz for coordinating efforts aimed at building a shared understanding among leaders regarding developments in the Ukraine talks.
“We are united in our determination to intensify efforts toward a just and sustainable peace,” Costa wrote on social media.
Von der Leyen echoed this message, emphasising that the EU remains committed to Ukraine’s security and reconstruction.
“We had a productive discussion with European leaders about our support for Ukraine, its security and the rebuilding of the country,” she said. “Ultimately, the prosperity of a free Ukrainian state lies in its accession to the European Union.”
She added that enlargement should be understood as a source of mutual benefit.
“It is also a crucial security guarantee in its own right. Enlargement does not benefit only the countries that join. As successive enlargement waves have shown, it benefits all of Europe.”
Source: CNA