There is a real opportunity to end the war, despite Russia's ongoing implementation of its aggressive intentions. To achieve this, Ukraine requires continued defense support and diplomacy that is filled with real substance and backed by effective actions. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized this during his speech at the Vilnius Summit with the Bucharest Nine and the Nordic countries.
The Head of State thanked partners for all the support packages and every investment in the production of weapons in Ukraine, as well as for the development of their own defense industries.
“Europe, together with America, has better weapons than Russia. We also have stronger tactical solutions – our operation ‘Spiderweb’ yesterday proved that. Russia must feel what its losses mean. That is what will push it toward diplomacy,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President noted that Ukraine’s delegation is already in Istanbul and that the Ukrainian side is ready to take the necessary steps for the sake of peace. According to him, the starting point must be a ceasefire and humanitarian actions – the release of prisoners and the return of abducted children.
“All key issues can be resolved at the level of leaders. And if Russia undermines even this initial agenda, and if the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed – from the EU’s 18th package and from the United States, specifically the stronger sanctions President Trump promised,” the Head of State stressed.
In addition, it is critically important to maintain a strong connection between Europe and the United States. As many points of contact as possible are needed, including at the NATO Summit at the end of June.
“Russia must not have veto power over NATO decisions or influence over the Alliance or its members. That principle must remain in place. Euro-Atlantic security is the business of Euro-Atlantic nations,” the President concluded.
The Bucharest Nine (B9) is an initiative launched in 2015 during a summit in Bucharest by nine NATO member states from Central and Eastern Europe to strengthen military cooperation. Its members are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. This year’s summit also includes Ukraine, the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway), and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
