Dear friends,
Today is a hard day for Ukraine. Last night, Russia launched another massive attack against our cities. It was a deliberate and brutal strike. People were killed in the attack, and many more were injured.
But today is also, as you said, a historic day. And we’ll remember this day not only because a Russian drone struck the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – a holy Christian site whose history dates back to the 11th century. We will also remember it because of the decisions we are making together today. These are decisions that draw another clear line between Europe and the stupid dictatorship in Moscow – a dictatorship that wants to destroy our Europe and everything we have built together.
What is happening today – the opening of the first cluster in the accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova – sends a clear message that Europe’s progress cannot be stopped.
We have worked hard to reach this moment. Over the past years, Ukraine and Moldova have taken important steps together. And it is especially symbolic that I am speaking to you from Chișinău today – on my way to France for the G7 Summit.
Our neighborhood with Moldova is strong. And we support each other, and we are moving toward the EU together – and we will get there together.
During this war, Ukraine applied for EU membership. Together with Moldova, we received candidate status. Now we are moving forward in the negotiations. And we believe that one of the strongest responses Europe can give to Russia’s attacks and constant acts of aggression is to accelerate our accession process, to accelerate the opening of clusters. It often feels as if we always have to fight harder than others to move forward on our path to the EU. Ukraine has earned the right to move faster. And that is exactly the political decision Europe needs today. We are ready for the opening of all the clusters. We have done our work. Everyone in Europe knows this. So let us move forward with opening the clusters without delay – the remaining five clusters following today's opening of the first one. That would be a strong – really strong – and clear European response to Moscow’s escalating attacks and to Russia’s continued refusal to engage in direct talks on ending this war.
We offered Putin to meet anywhere where real decisions to end the war could be made. He does not want it. We discussed with the U.S. and France the possibility of a meeting with Russia around the G7, with all democratic nations represented. Putin does not want it. Yesterday, we discussed with President Trump that such a meeting could be organized in the U.S. – in a format where Putin would find it much harder to refuse at least to President Trump. And we will see what comes of it. If Russia refuses this chance as well, additional pressure will be needed.
There must be stronger sanctions. And Europe can lead on that. And Europe can also take strong political decisions. One of the fastest decisions available, as I have suggested, is to open the remaining clusters and move forward with Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession negotiations.
And of course, I am grateful for your readiness to continue supporting our defense – both bilaterally and through the PURL program – and especially our air defense. To protect our people, we need missiles every day, and above all – anti-ballistic systems and interceptors.
I want to thank every one of you.
Thank you, all the leaders. Thank you, Ursula, António. Thanks to everybody.
And thank you to every European heart that knows Europe will prevail over the Russian dictatorship.
And of course, I am grateful to every Ukrainian, to all our people, to the millions of Ukrainians who defend our country, who put Russia in its place, and who achieve the results Ukraine needs – and therefore the results Europe needs as well.
Thank you! And I look forward to our meetings in the coming days.
Thank you very much!
Glory to Ukraine!