Costa: EU leaders' position is clear: Europe's security and Ukraine's security are inseparable

Forty European nations, including Ukraine, recently adopted a declaration on November 12, asserting their right to determine their own alliances and the need for any security decisions to be made by Europeans themselves. This comes amid Russia's persistent calls for expanded talks on Europe's security framework, including their repeated demands to limit NATO's expansion and military activity near Russia's borders.

European leaders have consistently warned that these discussions should not compromise Ukraine's sovereignty or enable Moscow to dictate the security arrangements of other countries.

The Dublin Declaration, adopted at the ninth European Political Community summit in Ireland, outlines key principles of European security and links future discussions on these arrangements to the cessation of Russia's war against Ukraine. The signatories emphasized that Ukraine's security is intrinsically linked to Euro-Atlantic security and that the resolution of Russia's aggression is a prerequisite for any negotiations regarding the continent's broader security architecture.

The declaration also stresses the importance of robust security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression and reiterates the commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

Signatory countries reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's independence and pledged to enhance their defense capabilities, military cooperation, and the European defense industry. The document further reaffirmed NATO's role as the cornerstone of collective security for its members, including the commitment to Article 5, and called for a stronger European Union capable of addressing security threats.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cautioned against falling into Russia's trap of negotiating over Europe's security architecture before there is a ceasefire. She welcomed US envoy Jared Kushner's statement that Europeans would participate in upcoming peace talks, but warned that shifting focus to Russia's demands could inadvertently aid Moscow's objectives.

Kallas argued that the sole focus should be on ending Russia's aggression and achieving a ceasefire, asserting that European security cannot be negotiated over Ukraine's head.