Opening remarks by President António Costa at the meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin
I would like to thank you, dear Micheál, for hosting us today here in Dublin for the Summit of the European Political Community.
The first EPC Summit took place in Prague in October 2022, a few months after Russia’s unprovoked, large-scale military aggression against Ukraine. So, from the start, the EPC has been the place where the entire European continent comes together to discuss European security – under the shadow of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
These Summits have been very important to underline that the security of all European nations, the security of our continent, is inseparable from Ukraine’s security. And that our collective security is inseparable from the achievement of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Today, as discussions about peace in Ukraine intensify, this is more important than ever.
We have to be very clear about the principles that must be respected for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine to be achieved. And with that peace, security in Europe to be restored.
The first principle is that Ukraine, like any sovereign nation around this table, must be free to choose its partners, its allies, its future. The time of zones of influence in Europe has long gone.
The second principle is that Europe’s security cannot be discussed without a European voice at the table. That European voice needs to be a team effort between European nations, the European Union and NATO. And the European Union is playing its part.
The third principle concerns discussions about the European security architecture. Here, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Europe had a functioning European security architecture until it was first, gradually undermined, and ultimately destroyed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Any future discussion on this issue must take that fact into account. And be based on what we collectively built since the Helsinki Final Act of 1975:
- the sovereign equality between European nations
- refraining from the threat or use of force
- the inviolability of frontiers
- the territorial integrity of States
- the peaceful settlement of disputes
…these principles remain as relevant today, as indispensable for a just and lasting peace today, as they were 50 years ago.
The European Union will continue to defend them, hand in hand with Ukraine, with you, dear Volodymyr – because we know that true peace can only be lasting if it is just. And it can only be just if it is principled.
Europe’s priorities in this process are very clear: we must first reach a ceasefire, obtain concrete, tangible progress in the Black Sea and work on creating the conditions for a peace agreement.
The main outstanding condition for all of this to be possible is whether Russia is truly interested in peace. Unfortunately, so far what we have seen is that Russia is focussed on escalation and attacks on Ukrainian civilians. That must change for peace to be possible. And the next weeks will be a decisive test for Russia’s willingness to stop this war.
Let me finish by thanking Emmanuel for France’s very timely initiative of a Declaration on key principles for the future of European security. As I said, we live in times when principles need to be reaffirmed, consolidated and strengthened. And when we Europeans need to be very clear about what kind of security we want on our continent.
So today, once more, the EPC will demonstrate that it is the prime forum for pan-European discussions on security.
I would like to end where I started, by thanking Taoiseach Micheál Martin for gathering us today here in Dublin.
I wish you all a successful meeting.
