Marking two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
The Delegation of the European Union to Japan issues the following statement:
Today we mark the second year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This is the latest chapter in a war which was started by Russia 10 years ago when it illegally attempted to annex Crimea. Ukraine has been demonstrating tremendous resolve, courage and intelligence in the fight to preserve its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On this day, we reiterate our unwavering support for Ukraine. The European Union (EU) and its Member States will continue to provide Ukraine with the necessary political, military, economic, financial and humanitarian assistance for as long as it takes. The EU has already provided nearly 90 billion EUR of support to Ukraine and in recent days agreed to establish a 50 billion EUR Ukraine Facility for coherent, predictable and flexible support for the period 2024-2027. European countries have sheltered millions of refugees while offering stockpiles of weaponry to Ukraine’s defenders.
We continue to strongly condemn Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Stressing the importance of security and stability in the Black Sea, we also support all efforts to facilitate exports of Ukraine’s grain to countries most in need, including through the EU’s Solidarity Lanes. The EU will continue to work, together with partners and allies, to further strengthening our sanctions, and through their full and effective implementation and the prevention of their circumvention, aiming to limit Russia’s ability to wage its war of aggression. Russia is grossly violating international law and the principles of the UN Charter. Russia and its leadership must be held fully accountable for waging a war of aggression and for other most serious crimes under international law, as well as for the massive damage caused by its war.
The EU and its Member States will contribute, for the long term and together with partners, to security commitments to Ukraine, which will help Ukraine to defend itself, resist destabilisation efforts and deter acts of aggression in the future. The EU supports Ukraine’s Peace Formula. Currently, it is the only comprehensive framework for a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
Russia’s armed aggression does not only constitute a threat to peace and security in Europe, but it also undermines the preservation of the international rules-based order in other parts of the world, including the Indo-Pacific. We firmly believe that the use of force and coercion to change borders has no place in the 21st century.
We commend Japan’s crucial role in standing up to Russian aggression, within international fora such as the G7 or the United Nations Security Council, as well as through its bilateral actions in Asia and Europe. Japan’s endeavors have been instrumental to build support for Ukraine and calibrate the international response to Russia’s actions.
Japan is one of the main providers of financial assistance to Ukraine and has clearly demonstrated its commitment to play a central role in the process of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction. In this regard, we welcome the successful conclusion of the Japan-Ukraine Conference for promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction which took place in Tokyo on 19th February 2024.
The future of Ukraine lies in the European family. On 14th December 2023, the European Council decided to open negotiations on the accession of Ukraine to the EU. Ukraine’s prosperity is the prerequisite to the wider prosperity and stability of the whole of our continent.