Zelenskyy: 'I hope we can end the war this year'

Following the international summit titled "Support for Ukraine," which brought together European Union (EU) leaders as well as leaders from non-EU Northern European countries and Canada in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the 3rd anniversary of the war, the leaders held a joint press conference. At the press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson answered questions from members of the press.

In response to a question regarding EU sanctions against Russia, European Commission President von der Leyen said, "Sanctions have already had a major impact on the Russian economy. Soaring inflation is driving up interest rates, and the effect of the sanctions is clearly visible. Companies are leaving Russia, and the effects and weight of the sanctions are being felt clearly."

Emphasizing that the sanctions will continue and increase until Russia shows the will to reach a fair and lasting peace agreement, von der Leyen stated, "The primary condition is for Russia to take concrete steps toward a fair and lasting peace agreement. Since there is no such agreement at the moment, it is too early to talk about lifting sanctions. This discussion can only be held after Russia takes concrete steps."

"UKRAINE COULD JOIN BEFORE 2030"

Regarding a question about Ukraine's EU accession process, von der Leyen said, "We reiterate that the accession process is always merit-based. There are specific conditions that must be met and reforms that must be implemented." Von der Leyen added, "If a date is set, other candidate countries might also demand a date before completing the process, and the agenda might shift to just setting a date instead of focusing on progress. However, I appreciate Ukraine's political will. If they maintain their current pace and quality of reform, accession even earlier than 2030 could be possible."

"AN UNPRECEDENTED PROCESS"

European Commission President Costa, in response to the same question, said, "Ukraine's accession to the EU will be the most important security guarantee for the country's future. We have already decided that this institutional term will be the EU's enlargement term. For Moldova, the Western Balkans, and perhaps Georgia. This is a merit-based process, and as the European Commission, we are working intensively with different candidate countries. The reforms Ukraine has carried out are truly impressive. Because they are managing an unprecedented process, such as implementing reforms during wartime. This is a situation that is hard to even imagine."

"ONLY UKRAINE CAN DECIDE"

Touching upon the negotiation process initiated by the US and Russia, Costa said, "Only Ukraine can decide when effective, credible, and sustainable peace negotiations should begin. We all welcome the efforts made by President Trump to bring Russia and Putin to the negotiating table. I hope these bilateral talks will open the door to peace negotiations. However, only Ukraine can decide under what conditions and when this process will begin."

"THIS WAR ALSO AFFECTS EUROPE'S SECURITY"

Costa stated, "This war concerns not only Ukraine but also the security of Europe. Therefore, it is vital for Europe to be involved and actively participate in the negotiations. Not only the European Union, but also Norway, Iceland, and the UK are countries that provide strong support to Ukraine and are directly concerned about Europe's security   and they also need to be part of the process," he said.

"THOSE RESPONSIBLE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while speaking of a just and lasting peace, said that the true cause of this war must not be forgotten and that those who started the war will be held accountable. Zelenskyy said, "The steps taken by Russia clearly reveal how this war began. Thousands of people killed, innocent people held in prisons, and abducted children. That is why we can never forget these, and we will not forget. I hope our partners stand at the same point as we do."

Zelenskyy added, "Everyone responsible for starting this war without any provocation will one day be held accountable. Of course, after the most difficult phases of this war have passed, even if we move to a diplomatic process, we will strive for the establishment of a tribunal. We must never forget these names and the criminals."

"WE ALL SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN CRIMEA"

Emphasizing that Russia wants to maintain its influence over all countries that were under Russian influence during the Soviet Union era, Zelensky said, "The greatest danger is Russia's attempt to expand its influence by using ethnic Russians living in certain regions as an excuse. This is not inherently a bad thing, but we all saw what happened in Crimea. I am only sharing our own experiences here. For countries that share a border with Russia and societies that have ethnic Russian citizens, this risk is inevitable. This is a situation that applies to other nations as well. For example, in Estonia, there are families that are half-Estonian and half-Russian. Similarly, in Ukraine, there are children born to Russian mothers and Ukrainian fathers. This is our shared history. However, this situation makes certain countries vulnerable to risk. Just as it was in Crimea and Donbas. Russia first said, 'We are not invading, we are only defending Russian-speaking people.' Therefore, if Ukraine falls, all the countries I mentioned will face similar risks."

In response to a question regarding his expectations for the next three years, Zelensky stated, "I hope we can end this war this year, not in three years. The current situation is extremely difficult for all our people."

Emphasizing that out of respect for Ukrainian soldiers and the people, he cannot talk about three years from now, but rather how security can be ensured, Zelensky said, "Because if we are not prepared, Russia could return in ten years. To ensure they do not return, we must send them back to where they belong, to their own territory."

Zelensky added, "If Ukraine becomes a member of the EU and NATO in the coming years, this would naturally provide great support. If we have a stronger army, powerful allies, and a solid union, Russia cannot return."