Von der Leyen called for preventing violent division of Ukraine: We will open door to new wars
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on European countries to resolutely defend Ukraine's sovereignty and prevent the legitimization of a forceful revision of borders, stressing the need to increase pressure on Russia and maintain Ukraine's European integration course. At the same time, she expressed cautious optimism about the peace talks and stressed that Ukraine's future remains European.
She made this statement in her speech to MEPs, according to Censor.NET, citing ZN.ua.
Respect for Ukraine's sovereignty
In particular, as noted, she called on European countries to declare the impossibility of dividing a sovereign European country, as Russia is trying to do with Ukraine.
"...We need to make it clear that there can be no unilateral division of a sovereign European state, and that borders cannot be changed by force. If we legitimize and formalize the undermining of borders today, we will open the door to new wars tomorrow, and we cannot allow that to happen," von der Leyen stressed.
The head of the European Commission also called on Europeans to increase pressure on Moscow and warned that, despite Russia's stated intention to conduct peace talks, Russia's position has not changed.
Europe must continue to put pressure on Russia, as the country still intends to "constantly redraw the map" and regain its lost "spheres of influence," Ursula von der Leyen said.
Predictions regarding the end of the war
In conclusion, she expressed cautious optimism about the negotiations, saying that "the days ahead are fraught with danger" and "the situation is complex," but "I also believe that there is an opportunity here to make real progress."
"We know it won't be easy, but we must find a way to move forward. We must find a way to stop the killings, help Ukraine recover, bring back the children, and reunite families. We must find a way to ensure long-term security for Ukraine and our entire continent, and above all... create a better future, a European future for Ukraine," she said, concluding her speech and making it clear that Ukraine's accession to the European Union is not off the agenda, which even the Russian media noted, while hiding behind Hungary's position, which opposes Ukraine's accession to the EU.
