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On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia began its aggression against Ukraine. Three years on, EU Ambassador to Japan Jean-Eric Paquet and Polish Ambassador to Japan Pawel Milewski, whose country currently holds the EU Council presidency, call for solidarity with Ukraine in the following contribution to The Japan News.
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For three years, brave Ukrainian defenders have been demonstrating to the Russians and the entire world their determination to preserve their freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and their right to choose their own future. Ukraine has managed to stand its ground and humble the invader, who commands a population three times its size.
Ukraine wants peace more than anyone; however, only it can define when there are conditions for negotiations for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. A peace that takes into account that the Russian threat goes beyond Ukraine. A peace that is comprehensive and not just a ceasefire. A peace that does not give Russia the opportunity to attack again.
The aggressor cannot be rewarded. We must guarantee that Russia will no longer be a threat to international peace and security.
Ukraine needs peace through strength. So far, the support of the European Union and its Member States for Ukraine has amounted to more than €134 billion, more than any other actor in the world. Of this, nearly €50 billion is military aid. Sanctions, moreover, are working, limiting Russia’s ability to finance its aggression. The EU has imposed the most sweeping sanctions in its history and is now working on a 16th package. The stronger Ukraine is on the battlefield, the stronger it will be at the negotiating table. As long as we believe in ourselves and in the Ukrainian cause, we will prevail.
The Ukrainian cause is also our cause. The security of Europe and Asia is indivisible. Last year, for the first time in modern history, we witnessed the direct military involvement of an Asian power in Europe, as North Korea dispatched troops to prop up the Russian Army. Moreover, China’s export of dual-use goods contributes to the buildup of Russia’s military-industrial base and fuels its war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia’s victory would set a dangerous precedent that could have implications also in the Indo-Pacific and threaten our shared interests. The authoritarians of this world are carefully watching to see whether they can expect impunity if they invade neighbors and violate international borders.
Europe’s voice and Japan’s voice are more crucial today than before to ensure a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace. Together with our partners, we need to lead in the effort to remind the international community of the regional and global consequences of how the Ukrainian war ends. Together we need to ensure that Ukraine is in a position of strength.
Today, just like three years ago, Europe stands with Ukraine. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder: in the negotiations, in providing security guarantees, in reconstruction and as a future EU member. There can be no credible and successful negotiations or lasting peace without Ukraine and the EU.
