site.btaTen South-East European Countries Issue Declaration in Support of Ukraine and its European Integration

The leaders of ten Southeast European countries and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who participated in an informal meeting in Athens on Monday night, issued a joint declaration expressing their support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression, ANA-MPA reported.

The declaration was circulated late in the evening after a dinner and informal discussion hosted by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which was attended by leaders of Western Balkan countries, EU member states from the Southeast European region, European Council and European Commission Presidents Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, as well as visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov also took part in the meeting.

In the presence of Von der Leyen and Michel, the eleven leaders also agreed that "there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities such as attacks on civilians and destruction of infrastructure and that all those responsible must be held accountable". Participants in the meeting also agreed on the urgent need to accelerate the Western Balkan countries' path towards the EU.

The Athens declaration, which contains eight main points adopted by the leaders, also says that - along with the Western Balkans - Ukraine and Moldova, which are neighbours of EU member states, share a common European heritage and that as a strategic investment in the peace, security and stability of Europe, it is important to include these regions as full members of the European family.

The declaration was signed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers President Borjana Kristo, North Macedonia Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

They described the Russian invasion as a key moment for Europe, which has created a new level of awareness of shared principles, of unity and of a common future within the EU. "The laws and principles that have contributed to the stable and predictable order of European security for so long have been violated and we are once again witnessing the manifestation of the disastrous results of revisionism," the declaration reads.

"In the face of Russian aggression, we express our unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, based on the values of democracy and the rule of law," the signatories of the declaration say.

They also declare their support for Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's peace formula and for the efforts of the UN General Assembly to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine.

Twenty years ago the EU-Western Balkans summit recognised that the Western Balkans belong to the EU. "We firmly believe that today this statement is more valid than ever. The escalating war in Ukraine has revealed the urgent need for a strong, resilient and open European Union as a cornerstone of peace and prosperity among our peoples in these challenging times," the declaration reads.

The leaders said that at their meeting they underlined "the importance of setting before us the goal of completing the vision of a European Union enriched by the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova". The participants also declare the need for "a new energy and a new focus of the enlargement process that is tangible and credible, without circumventing the conditions set", and commit to support Ukraine and Moldova to take their next steps in the accession process as soon as they have implemented the necessary reforms.