Europe Day: Choosing cooperation over conflict, democracy over authoritarian rule

© European Union, 2026

On 7 May 2026, the Delegation of the European Union to Belarus gathered its partners, colleagues and friends to celebrate Europe Day and the enduring values at the heart of the European Union: peace, solidarity, democracy, and cooperation.

Reflecting on the vision of the Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, the welcoming remarks of Head of Delegation Steen Noerlov recalled that a peaceful and united Europe can only be built on the promise that its peoples shall live in freedom and on the choice of cooperation over conflict, democracy over authoritarian rule.

At a time when war has returned to Europe, the European Union continues to stand firmly in support of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. It also reaffirms its support for a free, democratic, sovereign and independent Belarus as part of a peaceful and prosperous Europe.