European Commission head makes calls to create Ukraine 'reconstruction platform'

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Pledging to support Ukraine when it starts repairing the damage done in the war with Russia, the head of the European Commission on Wednesday called on Europe and its partners to establish a "reconstruction platform" for the war-torn country.

"We will support Ukraine in its reconstruction. This is not only in our strategic interest, this is our moral duty. The investments we will need are enormous and I think we should create a platform, a reconstruction platform," Ursula von der Leyen said at the European People's Party (EPP) Congress in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

The EPP is the largest bloc in the European Parliament, which gathers over 81 parties from 43 countries.

Von der Leyen pledged that Europeans would finance Ukraine's reconstruction "as much as possible," and called on partners of the EU, including the US, Canada, the G-7, G-20, IMF, and World Bank, to also provide support.

The war in Ukraine is a "defining moment for Europe," one that calls for the EPP to "do everything possible to make sure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin fails and freedom prevails," she asserted.

"We can never match the sacrifices Ukrainians are making every day but we can support them with the strongest weapon we have. And that's the power of unity and our economy," von der Leyen added, while saying that the Europe would do the "utmost to support this brave country on its way into our European Union."

"The Ukrainians want to join our European Union, we will do everything to accompany them because Ukraine deserves a fair chance," she emphasized.

Von der Leyen also urged Europe to end its "dependency on Russian fossil fuels" and called for them to diversify away from Russia to "reliable, trustworthy suppliers" as part of the €300 billion ($321 billion) plan REPowerEU proposed in March.

She also said the bloc must invest in renewables, which she said "we have always known ... are good for the climate."

For her part, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said: "It takes courage to tell Ukraine that their place is with us, in Europe, to extend our hand to Moldova, to Georgia and to keep our promises to the Western Balkans."

According to UN estimates, at least 4,113 civilians have been killed and 4,916 injured in Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, with the true toll believed to be much higher.

Over 6.8 million people have fled to other countries, while more than 7.7 million have been internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.

Meanwhile, European Parliament member and chairman of the EPP Group Manfred Weber was reelected to lead the party late on Tuesday.

Representatives of the center-right party from 43 countries voted at a general assembly, with Weber chosen with 447 out of 502 votes.