Leaders of 11 countries of South-Eastern Europe signed the Athens Declaration in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine during the summit on the Balkans.
This is reported by European Truth, referring to CNN Greece.
In the declaration, the country expressed 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 the face of Russian aggression.”
It is noted that beyond the borders of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, which are geographically adjacent to the EU member states, share a common European heritage, and “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”.
“The invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine is a key moment for Europe, which creates a new level of awareness of common principles, unity and a common future within the framework of the EU. This is a critical moment for the security, peace and stability of our European continent,” the declaration reads.
In turn, it is also emphasized that the laws and principles that have long contributed to a stable and predictable order of European security have been violated. “We once again witnessed the manifestation of the destructive consequences of revisionism,” the document added.
It said the countries agreed there could be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as attacks on civilians and destruction of infrastructure. And therefore all the guilty should be brought to justice.
“We emphasized the need to intensify and reorient the enlargement process, which would be tangible and credible, without any circumvention of the established conditions. We expressed our readiness to support Ukraine and Moldova in taking the next steps in the accession process (to the EU), as only they will complete the necessary reforms,” the document emphasizes.
The document was signed by: President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, President of Moldova Maia Sandu, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, President of Montenegro Yakov Milatovych, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Romania Marcel Čolaku, Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kryshto, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski, Prime Minister of Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov, Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković in the presence of the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Laien.
