Je länger ich mir die Videos aus Moskau ansehe, desto mehr glaube ich, die russische Luftraumverteidigung hat in den letzten Tagen einfach nicht gefeuert, um die eigene Bevölkerung nicht zu gefährden.
Diese Raketen machen alles, außer ukrainische Drohnen abzuschießen …
Thank you, António, Ursula, and all the leaders who support Ukraine and are ready to work with us to make both Ukraine and the EU stronger.
After the changes in Hungary, there is clearly a new opportunity to strengthen relations both within the EU and between the EU and Ukraine. For Ukraine, being a good neighbor has never been just words. And now we are ready to work as closely as possible, and with mutual respect, with every one of our EU neighbors.
I want to thank our neighbors – Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia – and all other EU countries, and assure you that Ukraine is committed to mutual respect.
From an address at the EU Council meeting. (2/3)
"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose."
Lyndon B. Johnson
The combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to June 19, 2026.
This week, we had productive work at the G7 Summit, at the meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and the European Council, and in bilateral meetings with partners. Every conversation focused on how to provide greater protection for our people, how to support our warriors, and how to bring the end of the war closer.
Nine countries announced contributions to the PURL program totaling nearly $1 billion – thank you, this is exactly what is needed most right now. We also worked on pressure against Russia – there were new sanctions from the United Kingdom and Canada, and we are already actively engaged in dialogue with the EU to ensure that the 21st sanctions package comes sooner and restricts Russia precisely where it will be felt most.
Overall, following the UDCG meeting, partners announced $4 billion in new assistance for our country. We are returning home with new capabilities for defense. I thank all our friends who continue to support Ukraine. Every assistance package saves the lives of our people from Russian strikes and helps bring peace closer.
There’s no doubt that Putin fears the return of his army home. That is why he is so afraid of the war ending without victory. And there will be no victory. He is physically afraid of his own army. That is why, if there is no ceasefire backed by specific security guarantees, he will return to war. And this time, others may be the ones under attack.
Today, Ukraine is de facto the second army of NATO – one that is not inferior to the second army in the world. And that is why NATO needs us – specifically us – de jure. This is already a fact recognized by all leaders. Putin will remain in the Kremlin until his death, and he has one goal: the restoration of the Soviet Union. Without Ukraine, this is impossible, and that is why things are so difficult for us.
From answers to journalists’ questions. (3/3)
Europe will build its own anti–ballistic capabilities – this is an urgent issue. Ukraine is not giving up, so we will definitely see this through. This is our initiative, which we’re carrying out together with partners. Putin wants to see everything in our country go up in flames, and he’s a madman – our partners can sense that. Ukraine is ready for negotiations with him despite all this.
But Europe must throw its full weight behind this effort so that we have a strong position. It must throw its full weight behind sanctions – with no exceptions. Behind confiscation – with no exceptions. And behind funding Ukraine.
From answers to journalists’ questions. (2/3)
We held the UDCG meeting and received confirmation from nine countries regarding their contributions to the PURL program. These are missiles for Patriot systems worth more than $1 billion. The EU will step up sanctions – this is unanimous. The EU stands united – they're doing a great job. And, by the by, we've done a lot to achieve this, as our partners also acknowledge. We agreed on additional F-16s; we urgently need to train pilots.
Putin doesn’t want to stop, and all his talk about seeking peace is nothing but lies. All partners, all Europeans, feel this. But everyone is confident that together we will stop him. There are two key points: together, and we will stop him.
We need air defense and money for the army. Our partners agree – we will all work on this.
From answers to journalists’ questions. (1/3)
I met with Prime Minister of Bulgaria Rumen Radev. Thank you for the substantive talks. We discussed in detail the development of our cooperation and energy security, including at the regional level. We also addressed preparations for consultations between Ukraine and Bulgaria aimed at developing joint projects. I invited Bulgaria to begin work on a special agreement in the Drone Deal format.
We agreed to task our teams with following up on all the issues discussed and preparing a number of bilateral documents.
There is no army without funding. And when we talk about Europe’s security, we are talking about its foundation – the Ukrainian army.
Our army has real experience of modern warfare and has been able to hold back a force as large as Russian aggression.
We need to provide long-term security guarantees for Europe, and that means long-term financial guarantees for the Ukrainian army.
Maintaining the army, providing the equipment it needs, paying soldiers, and funding military contracts – all of this is necessary. The Coalition of the Willing, and the European Union as part of it, and your countries as members of it, can develop the financial instruments needed to make this possible.
From an address at the EU Council meeting. (3/3)
I met with Prime Minister of Poland @donaldtusk in Brussels. We discussed issues on the bilateral agenda and Ukraine’s EU integration, as well as remaining challenges facing all European countries because of Russian aggression.
I am grateful to Poland for supporting Ukraine from the first days of Russian invasion, and this is something that is truly important for our region and all of Europe. Our shared security interests and the freedom of every nation that lives next to Russia must be protected.
With Prime Minister of Slovakia @RobertFicoSVK, we discussed European integration, mutually beneficial energy cooperation, and the results of the G7 Évian Summit. I spoke about diplomatic efforts for peace. We also discussed the next round of intergovernmental Ukrainian-Slovak consultations.
I am grateful to Slovakia for supporting Ukraine’s EU integration and the opening of the first negotiating cluster. We count on progress in opening the remaining clusters in the nearest future.
Ahead of the European Council meeting, we discussed with António Costa @eucopresident and Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen further steps on Ukraine’s path toward accession to the European Union and coordinated our positions. It is important to open the remaining five negotiating clusters in the near future. We also expect to receive the first tranche from the EU financial support package soon in order to strengthen our defense.
Special attention was paid to security cooperation and our work with the European Union on an agreement in the Drone Deal format. We also discussed defense support for Ukraine, above all strengthening air defense and protection against Russian ballistic missiles.
I am grateful to the leaders for their support and readiness to work together for the common security of both Ukraine and all of Europe.
Yesterday, I raised two urgent issues with Mark Rutte. The first is the number of unmanned ground vehicles. The second is long-range artillery ammunition. Right now, there is not enough of either. We need both urgently.
The funding being allocated for this is not enough. The quantities Europe is producing are not enough. What the Ukrainian army is receiving is not enough. But we can increase all of this. The capacity is there.
From a speech at the 35th UDCG meeting. (2/3)
Today, the Ukrainian army is effectively the main army in Europe that can deter and resist large-scale aggression over a long period of time. And after this war, this must remain the case.
The existence of such an army should help prevent any future aggressive moves by Putin. That is why we need to start thinking now about how to provide the funding the Ukrainian army will need in the years ahead.
If we want Europe to have the strongest army, one that can truly respond to any threat, this is only possible with long-term cooperation with Ukraine and long-term support for the Ukrainian army. This is a realistic new security architecture for Europe.
From a speech at the 35th UDCG meeting. (3/3)