Dear friends,
While Putin and Trump seek to carve up Ukraine, the European Greens stand for a common EU defence and peace policy. 27 Green parties from 27 countries and the European Green Party decided this for the first time.
For all of us, it is clear: Now more than ever, it is up to Europe to stand together.
Three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe must do its utmost to support the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, self-determination and a just and lasting peace.
This also includes the supply of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. Russia’s war of aggression is not only an attack on Ukraine and its people but the entire European and global security order, running contrary to all principles of international law and justice.
If Trump betrays our shared values and turns his back on his former allies, the EU must grow closer together – also by deepening cooperation in the areas of defence and security.
The shameful treatment of President Zelensky in Washington was a new low.
We reject any attempt at a “peace deal” negotiated over the head of Ukraine, which must be at the centre of any talks. Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. Nothing about Europe without Europe. Greenland has been threatened with annexation, Ukraine has been sidelined from talks about its own future, and the shared democratic values that underpin the transatlantic relationship have been put into question. Meanwhile, Russia poses a constant military and security threat to Europe, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Moldova.
Europe and partners such as the UK must now take real responsibility for European security and defence.
For this reason, European countries must work together to strengthen their defence capabilities without delay. In the immediate term, EU countries should pool their defence investments to deliver additional support to Ukraine and expand Europe’s conventional capabilities. Now is also the time to fully seize the Russian frozen assets to further boost Ukraine’s defence.
Pooling of national defence budgets and joint European borrowing for defence projects should follow.
European countries must remember that we already outspend Russia, but our inefficient defence spending comes at a high price in security terms. Deepening cooperation with joint procurement, shared military capabilities, and the development of European defence industrial capacity is essential. Joint procurement, interoperability and harmonisation of standards can produce significant cost savings.
Joint action on defence is needed now, as is the suspension of overly rigid debt rules. We need joint loans, not only for defence but also for sustainable investment in our future. The Green New Deal is also crucial for this. Without the revenue and leverage provided by European dependence on Russian fossil fuels, Putin could not have waged his illegal war against Ukraine. Accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels is, therefore a geopolitical imperative.
We must also resolutely counter the disinformation and propaganda spread by Russia.
In these challenging times, Europe must recall what it is and what it stands for. The European Union is a peace project built on integration and the shared values of freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights. It is because of these values that the believers in “might is right” attack the European Union. For Ukraine and for the security of Europe as a whole, European leaders must stand united to protect them.
This resolution has been signed by:
Vula Tsetsi and Ciarán Cuffe, Co-Chairs, EUROPEAN GREEN PARTY
Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout, Co-Presidents, GREENS/EFA GROUP IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Anja Presnukhina and Luca Guidi, Co-Spokespersons, FEDERATION OF YOUNG EUROPEAN GREENS
ALBANIA, Keida Ushtelenca and Indrit Abdiaj, Partia e Gjelbër
AUSTRIA, Werner Kogler, Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative
BELGIUM, Marie Lecocq and Samuel Cogolati, Ecolo
BELGIUM, Bart Dhont, Groen
CROATIA, Sandra Benčić, Možemo! – politička platforma
CZECH REPUBLIC, Gabriela Svárovská and Matěj Pomahač, Strana zelených
DENMARK, Pia Olsen Dyhr, SF – Green Left
ESTONIA, Evelyn Sepp, Eestimaa Rohelised
FINLAND, Sofia Virta, Vihreät – De Gröna
FINLAND (ÅLAND ISLANDS), Erica Scott and Alfons Röblom, Hållbart Initiativ
FRANCE, Marine Tondelier, Les Écologistes
GERMANY, Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak, Bündnis90/Die Grünen
LATVIA, Andris Šuvajevs, Progresīvie, Latvia
LITHUANIA, Saulius Skvernelis, Demokratų sąjunga „Vardan Lietuvos“
LUXEMBOURG, Stéphanie Empain and François Benoy, déi gréng
MALTA, Sandra Gauci, ADPD
MOLDOVA, Anatolie Prohnițchi, The Ecological Green Party of Moldova – Partidul Verde Ecologist
NETHERLANDS, Jesse Klaver, GroenLinks
NORWAY, Arild Hermstad, Miljøpartiet De Grønne
POLAND, Urszula Zielińska and Przemysław Słowik, Zieloni
PORTUGAL, Rui Tavares and Isabel Mendes Lopes, LIVRE
PORTUGAL, Inês de Sousa Real, Pessoas-Animais-Natureza / PAN
SERBIA, Biljana Đorđević and Radomir Lazović, Zeleno-levi front
SLOVENIA, Urša Zgojznik and Uroš Macerl, VESNA – zelena stranka
SPAIN, Mar González and Joserra Becerra, Verdes Equo
SPAIN (CATALONIA), Anna Martin Cuello and Andreu Mayayo, Esquerra Verda
SWEDEN, Amanda Lind and Daniel Helldén, Miljöpartiet de gröna
UKRAINE, Vitalii Kononov, Partija Zelenykh Ukrainy