By BRUSSELS. Oct 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Union and the United States say their support for Ukraine to protect its people from Russian war remains unwavering. Russia was called upon to immediately end this war and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian internationally recognized territory.
This is said in the joint declaration adopted following the EU-US summit, which was held in Washington on Friday.
“The United States and the European Union remain unwavering in our long-term political, financial, humanitarian, and military support to Ukraine and its people as they defend themselves against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression. We stand together in calling for Russia to end its brutal war and to withdraw its military forces and proxies and military equipment immediately, completely, and unconditionally from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine,” the declaration says.
The USA and EU note that they are committed to achieving “the widest possible international support for the key principles and objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula.” “Any initiative for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine must be based on full respect for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders and uphold all the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter,” the document says.
The parties also stated that they undertake to support Ukraine for as long as necessary to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. “We recognize the urgency of ensuring that Russia does not succeed in collapsing the Ukrainian economy and of intensifying our efforts to help ensure assistance meets Ukraine’s highest priority needs,” the declaration says.
The USA and EU stated that “as co-chairs, along with Ukraine, of the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform, we are working together with Ukraine as it develops its Ukraine Plan, embedded in its European path, to incorporate a common set of near-term priority economic, rule-of-law, and democratization reforms and a prioritized and well-coordinated approach to recovery and reconstruction assistance and investment.”
The USA and EU assured that the United States and the European Union, together with other international donors, will continue to provide Ukraine with financing “to help achieve these objectives, including to defend, repair, and rebuild its energy sector aligned with EU standards.”
“We acknowledge Ukraine’s commitment and progress in their reform efforts, and underline the strategic importance of its EU accession process,” the declaration says.
The parties also stated that Russia “must cease its aggression and must bear the legal consequences of all its internationally wrongful acts, including compensation for the damage caused to Ukraine. We are united in our determination to ensure full accountability,” the document reads.
The USA and EU noted that “in light of the urgency of disrupting Russia’s attempts to destroy the Ukrainian economy and Russia’s continued failure to abide by its international law obligations, the United States and the European Union, together with our allies, are convening our experts to explore options to compensate Ukraine in a timely manner for the loss, injury, and damage resulting from Russia’s aggression.”
“We are exploring all possible avenues to aid Ukraine, consistent with our respective legal systems and international law. We are also working together with the global community to address the energy, economic, and food security challenges caused by Russia’s war of choice, which are particularly acute in the most vulnerable developing countries. We condemn Russia’s attempts to block food exports and its attacks on Ukraine’s grain storage and shipment facilities since its withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The EU’s Solidarity Lanes remain instrumental in bolstering global food security,” the declaration says.
The USA and EU also reported that as part of efforts to aid Ukraine, in the short term, they will explore how any extraordinary revenues held by private entities stemming “directly from immobilized Russian sovereign assets, where those extraordinary revenues are not required to meet obligations towards Russia under applicable laws, could be directed to support Ukraine and its recovery and reconstruction in compliance with applicable laws.”
“We will deepen our joint work to undermine Russia’s ability to wage its war, and maintain and expand its defense industrial base and capacity. Those who help Russia acquire items or equipment for its defense industrial base are supporting actions which undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. This includes companies supplying certain critical raw materials and high-priority items to Russia, as well as the financial institutions and other entities facilitating such transfers,” the document reads.
The USA and EU assured that they “will target third-country actors who materially support Russia’s war. We will continue to vigorously and jointly enforce our sanctions and export control measures to disrupt circumvention and backfill. Our joint implementation of the G7+ price cap for seaborne Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products supports energy market stability while diminishing Russia’s ability to finance its illegal war,” the declaration notes.
