The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a key moment for Europe, war and other crimes cannot go unpunished, the countries of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova belong to the European Union (EU), are some of the conclusions of the joint declaration of the Athens Summit.
A summit was held in Athens on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Thessaloniki Declaration. The summit was attended by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović, Serbian Aleksandar Vučić, Moldavian Maja Sandu, Ukrainian Volodomir Zelenski, as well as Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Macedonian Dimitar Kovačevski, Romanian Jon Marcel Colaku, Kosovo Aljbin Kurti, Bulgarian Nikolaj Denkov and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto.
The declaration states that this is a critical time for the security, peace and stability of the European continent, and that the laws and principles that have contributed to a stable and predictable European security order for so long have been violated.
All participants of the summit, "in the face of Russian aggression", expressed "unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, based on the values of democracy and the rule of law."
"In our talks today in Athens, we expressed our support and gratitude for the sincere efforts of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in establishing the principles of peace in accordance with the UN Charter, in his peace formula. We also welcomed the efforts of the UN General Assembly to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine," the declaration reads.
It was reported that the leaders agreed that war and other crimes cannot go unpunished, such as attacks on civilians and destruction of infrastructure, and that all those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.
"Twenty years ago, the Thessaloniki Summit recognized that the Western Balkans belong to the European Union. We firmly believe that today this statement is more relevant than ever. The escalating war of aggression against Ukraine has revealed the urgent need for a strong, resilient and inclusive EU as a cornerstone of peace and prosperity among our peoples in these challenging times", is one of the conclusions of the Athens Summit.
Summit participants emphasized that the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, geographically neighboring EU member states, have a common European heritage, history and future defined by common opportunities and challenges.
"As a strategic investment in peace, security and stability in Europe, it is important that these regions are accepted as full members of the European family," it added.
It was pointed out that the leaders discussed the way forward in order to make this vision of Europe a reality.
"We underlined the importance of setting ourselves a goal to complete the vision of an EU enriched by the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova. We emphasized the need for a re-energised and re-focused enlargement process that is tangible and credible, with no shortcuts to set conditions. We expressed our commitment to support Ukraine and Moldova to take the next steps in the accession process as soon as they complete the necessary reforms," the declaration said.
"We firmly believe that 20 years after the Summit in Thessaloniki and in the light of the new geopolitical reality, the time has come to adopt a bold and ambitious end goal that will serve as a guide, inspiration and context", is the last conclusion of the Athens Declaration.
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