Min vecka – Aktuellt från Europaparlamentet

Ukraine’s strength as the pathway to just peace

When historians study us in the future, they will focus on our actions rather than our words. It will include whether we managed to prevent Russia’s war on Ukraine from engulfing Europe, whether Putin could have been stopped, and whether there was a chance to tame the chaos and return to a world governed by rules.

With the U.S. presidential election of Donald Trump, there is a glimmer of hope in his pledge for ”peace through strength” to help Ukraine and others under totalitarian threats. Post-World War II, the U.S. became the global policeman, dedicated to preserving a rules-based order. Ukraine embraced this liberal order, surrendering its nuclear weapons through the Budapest Memorandum in 1994 for security assurances. This agreement, however, was breached in 2014 when Russia, a signatory, annexed Crimea, and later expanded its invasion into Ukraine.

We are at a historical crossroads: will global order be restored, or will chaos reign? Although no one desires war, it’s imperative to resist aggression fiercely. Ukrainians fight for freedom and democratic values, facing an existential war where a Russian victory would result in Ukraine’s erasure and empower the aggressors across the globe.

The free world faces challenges in finding those ready to defend liberty despite personal dangers. At the same time, over the past 11 years, Ukraine stands out as the nation consistently sacrificing for freedom. Therefore, it is now crucial to fully support Ukraine by providing sufficient weaponry and imposing effective sanctions on Russia, which will advance the prospects of achieving a long-awaited just peace.

Kira Rudik
”Golos” Party Leader, Member of Ukrainian Parliament