ZELENSKI WINS THE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF THE 50 LEADERS OF THE EUROPEAN POLITICAL COMMUNITY IN GRENADA

The presence of the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, in Granada today became the main protagonist of the third meeting of the European Political Community, in which the Ukrainian leader received the unanimous support of fifty European heads of state and government against Russian aggression and had the opportunity to meet bilaterally with the main European leaders, including King Felipe VI and the acting Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez,

who pledged to send new anti-aircraft and anti-drone systems and new demining equipment to Ukraine.

The third meeting of the European Political Community, which preceded this Friday’s summit of EU heads of state and government and which included notable absences, such as the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Ilham Alyiev, began with a plenary session in which the current conflicts affecting the European continent were addressed and in which the fifty or so heads of state or government sent a message of unity against Russia and support for Ukraine.

Among those present was the president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani Sadriu (Spain is one of the few countries that do not recognize the independence of this former Serbian province), who assured at a press conference that the independence of her country is “an irreversible reality” and, therefore, encouraged Spain to recognize it, taking into account the Spanish interest in the prosperity and stability of the Western Balkans.

During his speech to the plenary, Pedro Sánchez reiterated – in his dual capacity as leader of the host country and rotating president of the EU – Spain’s “firm” commitment to “continue taking steps to formally open talks” for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, pending the report of the European Commission, which must give its opinion on the fulfillment of the requirements established in the treaties and on the progress of the reforms carried out by the Ukrainian government.

Likewise, he assured, “despite the enormous distance, even physical, that separates us (in express reference to the 4,000 kilometers between Granada and Kyiv), our vocation of unity against Russian aggression is even stronger”, as is the “will to cooperate against Putin’s imperialism” and the “commitment to dialogue, peace, stability and the security of Europe against the unjustified use of force”. “This European Political Community is an expression of a shared desire to work together to build the Europe of the future, whatever our position on the continent, whether or not we are members of the European Union,” he added.

For his part, Zelenski warned the plenary that the biggest challenge at the moment is “to save the unity in Europe, not only of the EU countries, but of the whole of Europe”, and insisted on the importance for Ukraine “to have a protective shield for the winter”. “Between all of us we have defended Ukraine, Europe is more independent from Russia than ever,” said Zelenski, who also called for continued pressure on the Kremlin with more political and economic sanctions so that it cannot continue to “spread chaos.”

In the same plenary, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, stressed the “strong support that the European Political Community gives to Ukraine” and the “strong message to Putin: we do not tolerate aggression against a sovereign state”, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, expressed his confidence that “this meeting, under the Spanish Presidency, will be the occasion to bring the European continent closer to common goals, stability, prosperity and security”.

Eduardo González, The Diplomat in Spain. If you plan to use this article, please cite as a source The Diplomat in Spain.