EU Commissioners Assured of Commitment to Just Peace for Ukraine during the YES Special Gathering “Three Years — Time to Win”

On 24 February 2025, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and Yalta European Strategy (YES) invited European Commissioners to hold a discussion “Front to Brussels, Brussels to Front” on the occasion of the YES Special Gathering in Kyiv, titled “Three Years - Time to Win” dedicated to the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Top European officials shared their views on Ukraine’s role on the continent after speaking to Ukrainian servicemen fighting for peace in Europe.

Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, said: “I know that there is a debate in some member states about the situation (in Ukraine), and there are different approaches. But I think that it’s important to confirm that the European Commission shares the same approach. And our presence here sends a clear message about this. It is also important that all member states share the same approach. This is why I think that we are facing an important challenge - the difficulty is to reach common ground among different interests. But the priority is to confirm that we share common European values.”

Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space, said: “It is absolutely clear that Ukraine and all of us want peace for Ukraine. But just peace can come only through strength. Ukrainian people are showing incredible strength and bravery, and we cannot expect of them any additional strength. Additional strength needed for just peace can come through our assistance and weapons, which is very much needed for Ukraine to become stronger to be able to achieve peace through strength. I’m absolutely sure that we can do more.”

Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships, echoed this view and called for holding Russia accountable: “I believe that what the world owes to brave Ukrainian defenders, but mainly to the victims of this war, is just peace. It is very clear who the aggressor is and who the victim is here. But just peace means punishing the perpetrators, not the victims. If we fail to do this, we will motivate the aggressor for new foreign agressions.”

Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, pledged to make sure that Ukraine gets more weapons to rebuff Russia’s aggression: “Weapons, weapons, weapons and weapons. That means more F-16 fighter jets, more ballistic missiles, more armoury and more ammunition. Because only if we do that right, only if Ukraine has the upper hand on the battlefield, we together have a chance to see a just and lasting peace. Otherwise we can frget about it. So let’s make sure to double down on weapons, weapons and weapons.”

“Europe has to do more. Europe can do more, and Europe will do more,” Henna Virkkunen, Executive, Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, stated. She added: “One day Ukraine has to be an EU member and will be a member. So we have to support Ukraine’s path towards the European Union and our markets. There are many different things that we can do, meanwhile defence remains a priority for the time being.”

Michael Mcrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, said: “We have to stay the course, no matter what. And Europe will be there with Ukraine until the very end. And it will be a successful end ultimately.”

Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, said: “With this youthful energy, I think that Ukraine has nothing to worry about, because you will have a great country and you have great young people. And we Europeans will do our utmost to help you not only to be European, because you already are, but to be a member of the European Union.”

Marta Kos, Commissioner for Enlargement, said she would make Ukraine a new EU member as soon as possible if the decision was only hers to make: “If everything was in my hands, but it’s not, I would make Ukraine part of the EU tomorrow. Of course, we have to follow some steps. But if we don’t make Ukraine part of the EU during the mandate of this Commission, then we are not good enough.”

“EU is based on the values. EU is based on peace, freedom and prosperity. And now we have to add security,” she added.

Photos are available here

Video is available here