Thank you so much, António, dear President Costa! Ursula, Madam President!
Dear friends, dear leaders!
It’s good to see you all again, and thank you for inviting us to take part in this meeting of the European Council.
So, first of all, thank you to everyone who supports our people and our defense against Russian attacks. It’s important not to forget that the war that Russia brought to Europe is still ongoing. And in Moscow, there are still plans to expand this pressure against us in Ukraine, and also against European countries and the EU itself.
This is Putin’s dream – to see a fragmented Europe, where marginal voices gain influence and speak not for unity, but for division. That’s why Russia supports anyone – and no matter how extreme – who tries to weaken Europe from the inside. Most of you see this threat clearly and are standing against it. And as a result, today’s Europe is much stronger than it was 5 years ago. That is what unity gives us.
The world is clearly unstable. But the EU remains a strong global force that can protect – and does protect – European values and interests. It also plays a key role in making sure the war that Russia is waging doesn’t spread further, and in moving things toward peace. Without Europe, this would not be possible. So I thank you for your help. Ukraine is ready for a just peace. Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire. It is Russia that blocks everything. And this is why pressure must increase.
So – sanctions.
Sanctions against Russia remain one of the most effective tools for limiting its aggression. What’s needed now is a truly strong 18th package of EU sanctions against Russia. The key targets should be Russia’s oil trade, its shadow tanker fleet, Russian banks and other financial instruments, and the supply chains that bring equipment or parts for making weapons.
Some European companies are still sending critical components to Russia. These end up in missiles and other weapons used to kill us, kill Ukrainians. We are identifying these materials and will pass the evidence to your teams. Please pay attention to this.
We also need to expand sanctions not just against the Russian tankers, but also their captains, and the terminals that Russia uses to ship its oil. Russia’s military ambitions grow when its oil revenues are high. Over time, we’ve seen how strongly some European countries still depend on Russian oil. We understand this and we act carefully, as our partnership with the EU requires. Yet, sadly, we don’t always feel the same understanding in return when it comes to Ukraine’s needs. It feels especially strange to hear such strong criticism, even political pressure from some leaders, while our respect for EU rules allows oil to keep flowing. We should all think about that. Either we all follow the same EU rules or there will be fewer advantages for everyone.
The facts are clear: for Russia’s appetite for war to shrink, its oil revenues must shrink. So please support further steps to lower the price cap on Russian oil. A cap of $45 could help move toward peace, of course. But for real, lasting peace – and we shared it yesterday with all the partners: European partners, U.S. partners – a cap of $30 per barrel is needed to block Russia’s ability to fund its aggression.
Second. Predictability of your support.
Predictability is one of the most important resources in today’s world. Russia applies pressure through unpredictability and chaos. We, on the other hand, must ensure that our defense against Russian aggression remains stable and reliable.
This means continuing the freeze on Russian assets and continuing to use those frozen assets to fund Ukraine’s needs.
We value the EU’s SAFE program – Security Action for Europe – and really believe that Ukraine should be a full part of it. After all, we have the most up-to-date, battlefield-tested knowledge of which weapons work best. Ukraine should take part in joint defense purchases – from both EU and Ukrainian producers. Our defense industries can work as one system that builds security for all of Europe. And this will happen. The recent NATO summit showed clearly – yes, America remains with Europe. But it does so expecting that Europe will build up its own defense capabilities each year. The best way to do this is together. This is a signal from our side.
And budgetary support remains vital for us. Each of you understands that war creates a budget deficit – and under constant Russian attacks, no European country could manage that deficit alone. And we count on your continued support to cover our budget needs – especially for next year.
And third, but no less important, is our accession process.
Ukraine is meeting all its commitments for EU accession. And we truly mean it – we’re fulfilling every requirement, including those about relations with our neighbors. So it’s only fair that we receive clear, supportive signals from the EU in return – signals that recognize our progress.
What’s needed now is a clear political message – that Ukraine is firmly on the European path, and that Europe stands by its promises. Any delay by Europe at this point could create a global precedent – a reason to doubt Europe’s words and commitments. We are doing our part. It’s fair to expect a positive response. So opening Cluster One “Fundamentals” in the negotiation process could be more than just a technical step. It would be a political decision that defines Ukraine’s future integration with Europe. Please support this. And we are working to be ready on all clusters this year.
And one more thing that I wanted to share.
I want to stress that what we are discussing here is not just politics. It’s not just procedure. This is what gives motivation, support, and strength to the men and women who are defending their families and our independence against Russia’s criminal and unprovoked war. And the stronger your decisions – the stronger our defense, and the closer we are to ending Russia’s aggression. Please keep that in mind.
Thank you again! Thank you, António!