Honourable Consuls-General,
Dear friends from the Ukrainian Society of Hong Kong, 
Members of the press, 
Dear colleagues, 
Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you very much for joining us today. I wish it were for a more uplifting occasion than to mark such a terrible anniversary. On this day, three years ago, Russia launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Let us also not forget that Russia has been waging its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine for eleven years already, since 2014, when it annexed Crimea and brought death and destruction to Donbas.

Since then, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have perished. Repeated war crimes committed against civilians show Russia’s absolute contempt for human life, as protected by international humanitarian law and human rights. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have also been gravely wounded; countless people are maimed or scarred for life.

Life under occupation means further torment. Russia is forcefully displacing, abducting, deporting, and ‘re-educating’ thousands of Ukrainian children. These are clear war crimes for which President Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court.  Ukraine’s children must be brought back home.

European Union, 2025

As we congregate here today, Russia is continuing its illegal and unjustified aggression. Let me be very clear - the killing can stop anytime. Russia is the aggressor here. The quickest way to peace is very simple: Russia withdrawing its troops and stop bombing Ukraine. Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine threatens global security, by internationalising the war through involvement of DPRK and Iran, and irresponsible nuclear sable rattling. It has disrupted global food and energy markets – it has sent shockwaves around the world, affecting everyone.

I would now like to ask you for a minute of silence in commemoration of the victims of this terrible war of Russian aggression.

[---minute of silence---]

Thank you.

Dear friends - Ukraine is not alone. The European Union’s support for Ukraine and its brave people remains unwavering. The EU and its Member States have been Ukraine’s leading and biggest support – providing over 135 billion Euros, or over 1.1 trillion HKD, in humanitarian, financial, economic and military support. In short the EU has contributed more than anyone else. We will continue on this path to put Ukraine in a position of strength and make every effort to ensure Ukraine is in a position to obtain a just and lasting peace as an independent free country and sovereign nation.

Time is not on Russia's side. Three years into the war, Russia has not reached any of its objectives. Russia is increasingly isolated and less and less credible across the world. The sanctions are working. Russia's economy is struggling; outside war-spending it is performing poorly; the Russian currency is weak. Their national fund is almost completely depleted, and their national bank interest rate is at a record high of 21%. Russia’s war production will soon experience serious difficulties for various military items – as a result of ever increasing sanctions. They can't raise capital outside because of the sanctions. They don't get the same revenues from oil and gas that they used to. The EU will continue to isolate Russia. Another package – the 16th Package of EU Sanctions – has just been adopted. Again, in this package the EU also strongly condemns third countries’ continued support for Russia’s war of aggression and urges them to cease all assistance. This includes not only direct military support but also the provision of dual-use goods and sensitive items that sustain Russia’s military industrial base.

It remains a major concern that Russia keeps receiving dual use goods for its war machine through China and Hong Kong. This weighs on our relations and is something we will keep raising here with the Hong Kong authorities.

In the past weeks, things have been moving very fast on the political side. There are many question marks about the future. It is clear that there can be no decision on Ukraine and on Europe without Ukraine and Europe’s engagement. Any agreement without Ukraine and Europe will fail.

Rewarding the aggressor can never be an option. If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine, other countries may feel emboldened to use force for territorial gains. This is not in the interest of the international community. Sovereignty and territorial integrity are the cornerstones of the international order.

Any peace deal must be a just peace and sustainable. A bad deal will only lead to more war, just as it did before. No one wants peace more than Ukraine – however, what Ukraine needs is a just peace in freedom, territorial integrity and security.

For tonight’s event, I am very glad we were again able to collaborate with the Ukrainian Society of Hong Kong for this event to underline our solidarity. The society is doing important work in keeping Ukraine’s plight visible here in Hong Kong. I am also glad that a representative of the Ukrainian World Congress will be addressing us in a video message tonight.

Arriving in Hong Kong in September last year, I was impressed by Hongkonger’s compassion with Ukraine. I have seen a strong turnout at the Ukrainian Culture Day in September last year organised by the Ukrainian Society at the Goethe-Institut. I have also seen much interest in the screening of the Oscar-winning documentary “20 days in Mariupol” that the EU Office co-organised with the Journalism School at Hong Kong University last autumn, and in the opening films of our movie and documentary festivals.

To give visual representation to the bonds between Hongkongers and Ukraine, we have invited three outstanding photographers from Hong Kong, who have travelled to Ukraine multiple times since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. We are showing their images and impressions in the photo exhibition titled ‘Ukraine: War and Resistance’, which we are opening this evening. A heartfelt thank you to all three for contributing to this meaningful project.

European Union, 2025

You are all invited to visit the exhibition here in this room and the adjacent hallway. Their images are powerful reminders of the brutality of the Russian aggression and the terrible price Ukrainians pay for defending their sovereignty and freedom. Before assuming my current role, I was heading up EU international transport relations. One of my most important tasks was to assist Ukraine is getting its agricultural exports transported out along a land route following Russia’s bombing of Odesa port. This has been crucial for ensuring the export of Ukraine’s grain to global markets and helping vulnerable populations in need. For this reason, I visited Kyiv in person and witnessed the brutality of the war first hand. I was only in Kyiv for 3 nights and had to spend 2 of those nights in a make shift bomb shelter. Ukrainians have been subject to this terrible bombing night after night for three years.

And these photos also remind us of that incredible bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people, which is profoundly moving and inspiring.

Later this evening, my colleague Michal Kolodziejski, the Consul-General of the Republic of Poland which holds currently the EU Presidency, will moderate a panel discussion, where two of our photographers will speak alongside Dr Nicole Scicluna from Baptist University and Viktoriia Tkachuk from the Ukrainian Society of Hong Kong. A very warm thank you to you, dear Michal, and to the four panellists for sharing your insights with us about both the human dimension of the war and political developments.

Before I hand over to dear Viktoriia - Allow me to reiterate – No-one wants peace more than the people of Ukraine. No-one. But it must be a just and lasting peace. And peace will come through strength. And so the EU will stand by Ukraine for as long as Ukraine needs. And the EU is working with Ukraine on their EU accession. Because Ukraine is part of our European family. And this is where their future lies.  

Thank you.

European Union, 2025