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Mr. Mitsotakis: It must be ensured that Kyiv is part of the process and only Ukraine has the right to decide its future

by AI | 24.Feb 2025 | Europe in brief AI

“Three years since the start of the invasion, I believe it is an important opportunity to remember the enormous human cost. So much pain was inflicted, so much destruction, the lives of so many were disrupted, and it is imperative that we all work to bring an end. Your sacrifices and the sacrifices of your people, dear Volodymyr, cannot be in vain. And I consider it important to take a step back and recognize that your resilience and courage, your personal courage, have been remarkable,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his address at the leaders’ summit organized by Kyiv, marking three years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his intervention at the leaders' meeting organized by Kyiv, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. PHOTO ANA-MPA/OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER/DIMITRIS PAPAMITSOS

“Three years after the start of the invasion, I believe it is an important opportunity to remember the enormous human cost. So much pain was caused, so much destruction, the lives of so many were disrupted, and it is imperative that we all work to bring an end. Your sacrifices and the sacrifices of your people, dear Volodymyr, cannot be in vain. And I find it important to take a step back and recognize that your resilience and courage, your personal courage, have been remarkable,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his intervention at the leaders’ summit organized by Kyiv, on the occasion of the completion of three years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Ukraine deserves a peace that will be forged through strength and a peace that will respect its independence, but most importantly will safeguard its security. At the same time, I believe that there is a common denominator in all our interventions: only Ukraine can, must and will decide on the acceptance or rejection of any peace formula. No one else, no one, can make this decision on behalf of Kyiv. It must be ensured that Kyiv is part of the process and only Ukraine has the right to decide its future,” he emphasized.

The Prime Minister noted that we need a peace agreement with very clear security guarantees, which will function as deterrents and preventively in the future, guarantees that will be strong, that will be effective, so as to prevent any future aggression and to maintain peace.

Referring to European defense, the Prime Minister stressed that Greece spends more than 3% of its GDP on defense and it is time for others to do the same. “After three years of war that caused destruction on an incredible scale, we must support this goal. We need to act with greater decisiveness. We must not only bring an end to this conflict but ensure that we forge a model for preventing such disasters in the future,” he said.

“The road ahead of us will not be easy, it will undoubtedly be full of challenges. But there is a vision that leads us forward: a future where Ukraine will be a country at peace, a safe, democratic, independent country, but also, dear Volodymyr, a European Ukraine, a nation that can look to the future with optimism and confidence,” the Prime Minister added. (24/2/2025)