European leaders pledge continued support for Ukraine on 4th anniversary of Moscow-Kyiv war

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - European leaders on Tuesday pledged sustained military, financial, and humanitarian support for Ukraine, as the ongoing war between Moscow and Kyiv marked its fourth anniversary.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was in Kyiv for the 10th time since the start of the war to reaffirm that “Europe stands unwaveringly with Ukraine, financially, militarily, and through this harsh winter.”

“We will not relent until peace is restored. Peace on Ukraine’s terms,” she said on the US social media company X.

European Council President Antonio Costa described “four years of an unjust war of aggression” and “four years of unshakable Ukrainian courage,” stressing a shared European resolve “to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola hailed “four years of unbreakable courage” and praised both Ukraine’s resilience and Europe’s solidarity.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe “woke up to the sound of Russian bombs” four years ago, calling the conflict “a war of aggression chosen by Russia, in blatant disregard for international law.”

“Four years, 15,000 Ukrainian civilians killed. Four years of broken lives, violence, torture, war crimes, and terror,” Macron said, pledging that France and Europe would remain firmly by Kyiv’s side and continue increasing pressure on Moscow.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the war’s return to Europe affects all Europeans. “Only with collective strength will we end it. The fate of Ukraine is our fate,” he said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would step up military, humanitarian and reconstruction support and back Ukraine “for as long as it takes for a just and lasting peace.”

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Russia launched the war in the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, ushering in “four years of death, violence and pain” as well as “four years of resistance and dignity of the Ukrainian people in the face of aggression.”

“In Ukraine, Europe’s security and the kind of international order we want to build are also at stake,” he said, adding that defending Ukraine also means defending “the values of freedom, democracy and human dignity.”

Albares said Spain supports “a just and lasting peace that offers security to Ukraine” and will continue contributing to humanitarian, political and economic efforts to ease the suffering caused by the war and strengthen the country’s capacity to defend itself and rebuild.

“Spain stands with Ukraine,” he said.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also reiterated their countries’ support, stressing that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own freedom, but for Europe’s security as a whole.