As Trump is ready to abandon Ukraine, Europe must redefine global security architecture

Today marks three years since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Three years of war in Europe that have cost close to 42,000 civilian lives, nearly 300,000 Ukrainian and Russian soldiers killed, and almost 7 million people displaced.

The responsibility for this tragedy lies entirely with Russia’s expansionist aggression.

From day one, when Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence fell under attack, we committed to standing by Ukraine against this aggression alongside all of Heads of State and of government.

Today, we reaffirm our unwavering support. Russia’s war is not only an attack against Ukraine, but also against democracy in Europe and around the world. Putin’s aggression poses an existential threat to the entire continent.

Europe must mobilise and strengthen its capacities to defend itself.

Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Trump administration is embracing an isolationist approach, ready to abandon Ukraine, and playing into Putin’s hand.

The recent talks in Saudi Arabia between US and Russian negotiating teams without the participation of Ukrainian and European representatives are profoundly concerning.

The European Union must intensify its efforts both for Ukraine, and for the rest of the continent. Underestimating the critical role Europe is playing in supporting Ukraine would be a significant mistake.

In total, we remain the largest donor of aid, having allocated €132.26 billion since Russia’s invasion in 2022, compared to €114.15 billion from the United States.

At the same time, the EU must act decisively to enhance its deterrence, strengthen its defence, and preserve its unity.

Today, in the face of an increasingly unreliable transatlantic alliance, it is imperative for Europe to build a robust European defence. This is the only viable path safeguarding democracy, upholding the global order, and protecting our continent against the expansionist agenda of Putin’s regime.

We commend the efforts of European Council President, António Costa, who has been actively engaging, at various levels, to address this issue and to work towards a coordinated EU approach for a just, and lasting peace agreement.

As Socialists and Democrats, we stand firm:  any solution must ensure Ukraine’s involvement in the negotiations and the respect of its rights.

A credible European strategy based on three key principles is essential:

• ensuring lasting peace with robust and credible guarantees;
• affirming that there is no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine;
• ensuring that Europe’s security is only discussed with Europe.

The war is happening in European territory, directly affecting our Union, and therefore we cannot be excluded from the negotiation table. Europe must swiftly adopt a peace plan for Ukraine grounded in these principles.

The EU must continue to leverage its foreign and security policy instruments, such as sanctions, and explore all legal avenues to take full control over Russian-owned assets frozen by the EU, including its use for the reconstruction of the country and its defence industry, alongside additional deterrence measures.

The European Union was founded to ensure peace for its citizens, based on the principle that relations between countries should be grounded in peace and cooperation, not the use of force, not on the dominance of the most powerful. This is being put at risk today. This must be the basis for Europe to define a new peace and security architecture 50 years after the Helsinki accords in the new geopolitical context.

History has shown the disastrous consequences when these principles are ignored . We stand firm in upholding international law, defending the core values of the UN Charter, and preserving the rule-based international order. All countries must respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of other states.

We, social democrats, along with all the democratic forces in Europe, stand together with Ukraine, its people, its territorial integrity, and its sovereignty.

As Social Democrats, we stand united in advocating for a strong European deterrence against Russian aggression. We will continue to work tirelessly for peace and security, both on the European continent and globally.

Iratxe García Pérez, President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament
Stefan Löfven, President of the Party of the European Socialists