Poroshenko at the extraordinary EPP summit: peace cannot be built on the legalization of aggression
Fifth President and leader of European Solidarity Petro Poroshenko addressed the participants of the extraordinary summit of the European People’s Party, the largest political group in the European Parliament.
The leader of European Solidarity thanked the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Parliament, Roberto Metsoli, and the President of the EPP, Manfred Weber, for their unity with the Ukrainian people.
“At this critical moment in the history of Ukraine and Europe, coordination is not a luxury, but a vital necessity. Today, all eyes are on peace talks, but we must not forget that the fighting on the battlefield continues, and diplomacy has not diminished the intensity or ferocity of these battles. Putin continues to attack our cities, critical infrastructure, and energy facilities with attack drones and ballistic missiles. Putin’s goal—plunging Ukraine into darkness—has not changed at all. Russian diplomatic proposals are nothing more than a continuation of the war according to their rules,” Poroshenko emphasized.
He noted that Ukrainians, more than anyone, desire peace, but not at the price of capitulation. “Peace cannot be built on the legitimization of aggression, and peace cannot give Moscow a veto over our European future. That’s why our principles are simple and non-negotiable: sovereignty, territorial integrity, national identity, strong armed forces as a guarantee of security, accountability for war crimes and war crimes, and an unwavering commitment to EU and NATO membership. Anything less is not peace; it’s a pause before a greater war,” the fifth President warned.
“We welcome diplomatic efforts, including those that recently brought Ukraine, Europe, and the United States back to the negotiating table. Our key principle remains unchanged: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about European security without Europe, and, as Ursula said, nothing about NATO without NATO. And nothing is agreed upon until everything is agreed upon,” Poroshenko noted.
“The first and only step toward peace is an immediate, unconditional, and comprehensive ceasefire, as we did in 2015 during the Minsk agreements. If Ukraine stops shooting, there will be no Ukraine. If Russia stops shooting, there will be peace. That’s the main message,” Poroshenko noted.
“There’s no point in harboring illusions: nothing short of capitulation will be accepted. Therefore, our duty is clear: keep diplomacy open, but at the same time strengthen Ukraine and put pressure on Russia’s ability to kill. Sanctions, ammunition, air defense, long-range missiles—the true language of force. Weapons, financial aid, a reparations law using the mechanism of frozen Russian assets, opening EU accession negotiations despite Hungary and other participants. This is a true demonstration of support,” said Petro Poroshenko.
“But there’s another battlefield within Ukraine: a battlefield of trust. The exposure of high-level corruption has triggered the most serious political crisis of the war, a crisis of trust – between the people and the government and the President, between Ukraine and its partners. During a war, this isn’t corruption; it’s looting. During a war, this isn’t a political scandal; it’s a strategic weakness. That’s why restoring trust must be our top priority,” the opposition leader emphasizes.
“Ukraine needs a broader democratic parliamentary coalition. Incidentally, 85% of Ukrainians support and demand, according to the latest public opinion poll, a broader coalition of unity. A new government of responsibility and national salvation, a parliament that functions as a constitutional institution. These ideas enjoy the support of a huge percentage of the Ukrainian people. Such a government would not weaken President Zelenskyy; on the contrary, it would allow all of us, including him, to focus on war and diplomacy, while the institutions restore balance and trust,” Poroshenko explains.
“Without trust, without the rule of law, without genuine democracy, without checks and balances and internal unity, there is no resilience. And I am very grateful to the European Parliament and the European Commission for the very strong message we have received in recent months. Without resilience, there is no future for a democratic, European Ukraine,” Poroshenko is convinced.
Today, Ukraine and Europe are fighting together for our future, the future of our European continent. Let us remain together at the forefront of the world and at the forefront of democracy. And if we remain united, we will find peace and our shared future,” the party leader concluded.
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