“Dear Ambassadors,

The war in Ukraine remains the most central and consequential crisis for Europe's future. Russia's full-scale war will soon enter its fourth year. Putin is trying harder than ever to win this war on the ground. His goal remains Ukraine's capitulation. And then we know what could happen next. Because it has already happened before. He would move on to the next target – just like he did after 2008 and 2014. It is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It is Europe's destiny.

It is our first priority that we empower Ukraine's resistance. So far, our Union and Member States have supported Ukraine to the tune of EUR 134 billion. That is more than anybody else. Thanks to the Ukraine Facility and the G7 loan, we have closed Ukraine's budgetary gap for the entire year of 2025. In parallel, we must speed up the immediate delivery of weapons and ammunition. And this will be at the heart of our work in the coming weeks. No one wants peace more than the people of Ukraine. But there is only one path to the just and lasting peace they are longing for. And this runs through military and financial strength for Ukraine.

At the same time, this is also the moment for maximum pressure on Russia. Its economy is struggling with high inflation and interest rates. Our 16th sanctions package is on its way. The phase-out of Russian fossil fuels must continue. And it is incredibly important that Member States extended the freeze of Russian assets. Now we can continue to put our minds to work on the most creative use of these assets to support Ukraine's fight for freedom. We must show to the Kremlin that the longer the war, the higher the price for Russia. Ukraine needs peace through strength. The people of Ukraine have resisted for so long because they want to be free, and they want to be part of our Union. This is their aspiration, rightly so. And no one can take this away from them. It is a matter of justice. But it is also a matter of security, stability and prosperity. This is a core interest for Ukraine and for all of Europe. And we will make it happen. And this is not only about Ukraine. In a world where size and weight matter, and where small countries can be blackmailed more easily, it is in our shared interest to unite the European family. So at the start of this new mandate, I want to be very clear. 2025 must be a year of progress for all those countries that are on their merits-based path to joining our Union. Completing our Union is in our core interest. And it will be a core priority in the five years ahead of us.”

The full text is available here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_25_404