The twenty-fourth of February 2022 will forever be remembered as the day Russia began its brutal, unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. This was and remains a case of pure aggression and a clear violation of the United Nations Charter. This war is not "only a European issue", nor is it a "West vs. Others" issue. It's a question of the world we want to live in: no one is safe in a world where the illegal use of force - by a nuclear power and a permanent member of the Security Council - would be somehow "normalized". That is why international law must be applied everywhere, so that everyone is protected from power politics, blackmail and military attacks.
A year later, there is a risk that people will become accustomed to the images of war crimes and atrocities they see - because they are so numerous; that the words we use begin to lose their meaning - because we have to repeat them so often; to grow weary and weak in resolve - for time passes and the task is difficult.
And we must not allow that. Because Russia violates the UN Charter every day, creating a dangerous precedent for the whole world with its imperialist policy. Russia is killing innocent Ukrainian women, men and children every day, spilling missiles on cities and civilian infrastructure. Russia spreads lies and fabrications every day.
For the European Union and our partners, there is no alternative but to continue with the "triple strategy": supporting Ukraine, putting pressure on Russia to stop its illegal aggression and helping the rest of the world deal with the consequences.
That's what we've been doing for a year - and successfully. We adopted unprecedented sanctions; we reduced our dependence on Russian fossil fuels; and, in close cooperation with key partners, we have reduced by 50% the energy revenues that the Kremlin receives to finance this aggression. Working together, we have also mitigated the global domino effect through lower food and energy prices, thanks in part to our Solidarity Corridors and the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
It is not enough to say that we want Ukraine to be able to defend itself - it needs the means for that. That is why the EU, for the first time ever, delivered weapons to a country that was attacked. Moreover, the European Union is now a leader in providing military training for Ukrainian personnel so that they are able to defend their country. We also offer significant macro-financial and humanitarian aid to support the Ukrainian people. We also decided to respond positively to Ukraine's request for EU accession. Finally, we are also working to ensure accountability for war crimes committed by Russia.
Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience, thanks in part to this support. And thanks to global sanctions and the international condemnation of the vast majority of states in the UN General Assembly, Russia has become more isolated. Our collective goal is and will continue to be a democratic Ukraine that prevails, suppressing the invader, restoring full sovereignty and thus restoring the international legal order.
Above all, we want peace in Ukraine; comprehensive and lasting peace in accordance with the UN Charter and international law. Support for Ukraine and efforts for peace go hand in hand.
Russia's aggressive revisionism and its broader destabilizing moves are a global threat affecting the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries. We have seen the effects of the Russian propaganda machine that seeks to rekindle the vestiges of the past and its industrial-scale efforts at information manipulation and foreign interference. That is why the EU is working with partners, especially future member states, to counter these threats. Support for media freedom and political pluralism is a key part of this. We are also increasing support for efforts to resolve the conflict in the South Caucasus.
In a broader sense, the Russian invasion once again highlighted the fact that states and people must be free to determine their own future. The European Union has made it clear that we are ready to respond to the wishes of our partners and integrate the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia into our Union, and we are working hard to make this goal a reality. This means working together to build more resilient and inclusive societies and economies, develop and protect our democracies, and strengthen social cohesion.
History and justice are on the side of Ukraine. But to accelerate history and achieve justice, we must strengthen our "triple strategy." We know this is a collective task. That is why the EU counts on all its partners to act in the spirit of shared responsibility and solidarity: to ensure that aggression fails and that international law prevails.
The author is the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security
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