Von der Leyen calls EU membership "strongest security guarantee" for Ukraine

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stated that fast-tracking Ukraine's accession to the European Union could serve as the strongest security guarantee for the country once peace is achieved.

Speaking at a European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg on EU support for a just, sustainable, and comprehensive peace in Ukraine, von der Leyen noted that Ukraine's accession to the European Union would be the greatest guarantee of a just and lasting peace.

"We must accelerate Ukraine’s path towards membership of our Union. This is not just Ukraine’s aspiration. It can be the strongest security guarantee. And it was a central focus of my latest meeting with President Zelenskyy in Rome.

The war in Ukraine will eventually come to a halt. And the way the war ends will shape our continent for generations to come," von der Leyen said.

Von der Leyen noted that "a bad deal could encourage Putin to come back for more. It would be a recipe for more instability and insecurity." 

"Instead, a just and lasting peace could usher in a new era of prosperity for Ukraine and help us build a new security architecture for Europe," she stressed. 

Therefore, von der Leyen outlined three priorities for the EU on the path to a just peace for Ukraine: "First, support Ukraine’s defence. Second, complete the phase out of Russian fossil fuels. And third, accelerate Ukraine’s accession path to our Union." 

On 26 April, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and von der Leyen met in Rome after the funeral ceremony for Pope Francis to discuss the establishment of sustainable peace in Ukraine.

Earlier, it was reported that the Trump administration handed over a one-page document to Ukraine in Paris, presented as a "final proposal" for a peace settlement. Among other things, the US is prepared to recognise Russia's control over Ukrainian Crimea and ease sanctions against Moscow.