Ukraine: speech by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the EP Plenary
European External Action Service (EEAS)
09.09.2025
Strasbourg, France
EEAS Press Team
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Opening remarks
Good morning, dear President,
Dear Members of the European Parliament,
International efforts to end Russia's war have stepped up in the last few months. But Russia's response is more aggression. Over the weekend, Russia launched the largest aerial assault of this war so far. Putin has zero interest in peace, and he will not stop the war until he is forced to.
This is why the European Union and our Member States have provided almost €169 billion of financial support since the full-scale war started in 2022. This includes over €63 billion in military support for Ukraine. This year alone, Member States will provide more than ever before - €25 billion to date. They have now also provided 80 percent of our 2 million rounds of ammunition target. We aim for 100% by October.
This is all so that Ukraine can defend itself, can defend its civilians and push back the aggression.
Europe is also the largest backer of Ukraine's own defence industry through windfall profits from the Russian frozen assets. And Europeans have stuck together through 18 rounds of sanctions against Russia and those who enable Russia's war - four in the last nine months alone. International sanctions have already deprived Russia of at least $450 billion in war funds, including $154 billion in revenues from oil.
Europe was once the largest market for Russian energy, but not anymore. By 2027, hopefully we will not be importing any Russian gas and oil at all. The European Union has also sanctioned 444 shadow fleet ships that circumvent our sanctions and bring Russia illegal oil revenues.
Ukraine's bravery backed up by international support has already prevented Russia from achieving its military goals. But it is not enough. The only option we have is to: pile more pressure on Russia; provide more support to Ukraine; and prepare for the day after.
Honourable Members,
More pressure on Russia means more sanctions and continued work to address circumvention, including dismantling the shadow fleet. On sanctions, like I said, we are now working on the 19th package and collecting input from Member States.
We are also coordinating with partners, because the impact of internationally coordinated sanctions is much stronger than the EU acting alone.
Our message to Russia is simple: this war is not winnable. Leave the battlefield and come to the table with Ukraine.
When this happens, Russia must not be allowed to rearm and re-attack. We have been there before. And Putin has made no secret that Ukraine is just the start. Putin wants to re-establish Russia's pre-1991 Soviet sphere of influence.
But the West is united in providing security guarantees to Ukraine. There are now serious pledges on the table of the Coalition of the Willing. That is why a day after the Coalition of the Willing met last week, Putin threatened attacks on any Western presence on the ground - including peacekeepers. This is a serious escalation from Russia and directly undermines European security. Russia does not have a say in how we protect ourselves.
Honourable Members,
That is why the European Union will keep doing its part to protect the security of our continent. Work is undergoing under three main pillars.
First, the European Union has already trained close to 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers. We are the largest training provider of Ukraine's Armed Forces. And we have also started working on changing the mandate of our mission [EUMAM Ukraine] so that we can also train in Ukraine. The strongest security guarantee is a strong Ukrainian army.
Second, the European Union will also keep supporting internal security and resilience in Ukraine through our civilian mission [EUAM Ukraine]. We have already supported Ukraine's police force and helped strengthen the rule of law in the country. Today there are many more challenges to address, including those related to war.
And third, we will keep strengthening Ukraine's defence industry, including helping Ukraine produce more military hardware in the European Union. The EU is already actively encouraging Member States to team up with Ukraine to support them and learn from Ukraine's war experience. And we are steadily integrating Ukraine into the European defence industrial base, including incentivising joint procurement through SAFE.
Honourable Members,
Ukraine's accession to the European Union is something that gives hope to the Ukrainian people, the possibility to live free and prosper again.
Ukraine has already shown a remarkable evolution in its reforms, even in the midst of war, but my colleague will talk about that more. Accession is a merit-based process and Ukraine merits progress. It is time to open negotiations on Cluster 1.
This war will end. And when it does, Ukraine will recover and Russia will pay for the damage it has done. Russian sovereign assets should remain immobilised until Russia stops its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates Ukraine for the billions of euros of damage it has caused and keeps causing. This is what the European Council has stated. It is essential that we deliver on this commitment.
Honourable Members,
What Russia may have thought inevitable is far from it. Russia has not broken Ukraine's resolve and it must not break ours. For those who doubt, do not. Ukraine's security is Europeans' security. And so long as Russia pursues its illegal war, we must continue to fight.
Thank you.
Link to the video (starting 0:57): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-276512
Closing remarks
Thank you, Honourable Members.
I want to thank the European Parliament for your unwavering support for Ukraine and its people. They are living very hard times and you have been with them for three and a half years. So that is also reflected in Mr Gahler's report.
Your commitment has been crucial, not only for Ukraine, but also defending the very principles we Europeans stand for. We have stood united in this very turbulent time. Thank you for that.
Link to the video (starting 3:41): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-276514
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