EU reaffirms unwavering support for Ukraine, European future of candidate countries

The leaders of the states and governments of the EU member states, who held an informal meeting in Granada, Spain, agreed on a final declaration, reaffirming their unwavering support for Ukraine, as well as the fact that the future of the candidate countries and their peoples lies in the European Union.

This is stated in the final declaration, adopted following the informal meeting of the European Council. The full text of the document is published on the website of the European Council, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Resolved to take more responsibility for our own security and defence and to assist Ukraine, we have bolstered Europe’s capabilities. We will continue to support Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes. We have also confirmed that the future of our aspiring members and their citizens lies within the European Union," the declaration emphasizes.

EU leaders noted that the pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine tested the strength of the European Union's stability, emphasized the need to strengthen its sovereignty, and led member states to make key decisions to protect European peoples and national economies.

"Following our meeting in Versailles, we have acted decisively. Threatened with energy blackmail, we have greatly reduced our dependencies and diversified our sources. Faced with tightening supply chains and international competition, we have strengthened our economic base... More needs to be done. Today in Granada, we have discussed key priorities and actions needed for a strong, dynamic, competitive and cohesive Europe in a changing world," the final document reads.

In particular, as the leaders emphasized, based on the provisions of the Strategic Compass, the European Union will strengthen defense readiness and invest in capabilities by developing the technological and industrial base.

"We will also focus on military mobility, on resilience in space and on countering cyber and hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation throughout the Union. The Russian war of aggression has also further highlighted the strength of the transatlantic relationship," the heads of state and government of the EU emphasized.

As reported earlier, an informal meeting of the European Council took place today in Granada, where European leaders discussed the future development and enlargement of the European Union.