Press remarks by President António Costa following the meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 12:25 Press remarks by President António Costa following the meeting with[...]

Dear President Zelenskyy, dear Volodymyr.

This is my third visit to Ukraine in less than a year, but my very first time in Western Ukraine, a region bordering the European Union. That means and that proves that we are so close that in the future this region will be not anymore in the borders of the European Union, but it is a part of the European Union, because Ukraine will be a member, a full membership of the European Union.

We are here to participate in the congress of regional authorities.

So please let me start by paying tribute to Ukrainian local communities. You are showing incredible resilience in the face of this awful war, and you are a true inspiration for us all.

Europe has stood firmly with Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression since day 1, being a reliable and predictable partner.

Together with our member states, the European Union is the largest contributor of any global donor.

We are supporting Ukraine on defence, on economy, on energy grid, and institutions.

The Ukrainian people, dear Volodymyr, have shown to the world the extraordinary courage when facing the Russian aggression. And you are fighting for a just and lasting peace. And this is our common goal: to achieve a just and lasting in peace in Ukraine.

I hope through the related to the renewed diplomatic efforts over the summer and the meeting in Alaska.

And Ukraine, and you personally, dear Volodymyr, and the European Union member states and all members of the Coalition of Willing has been supporting President Trump's efforts to open peace negotiations.

You accepted President Trump proposal for peace negotiations. We are preparing security guarantees to ensure a just and lasting peace when peace comes.

And we are fully committed to providing strong security guarantees to help preventing future attacks.

Yesterday, in Paris, 26 countries plus the European Union committed to joint forces on offer strong security guarantees to Ukraine through air, land, sea and the regeneration of Ukraine's forces.

Yesterday, we demonstrated that the Coalition is not only willing, but it is able to deliver. In the nutshell - we are ready for the day after. But for that day to come, we must push Putin to the negotiating table.

And however, Russian bombs continue to hit Ukrainian cities, killing people, killing children, destroying cities and causing enormous suffering.

Only more pressure can change this course and we are ready to do more. We are working with the United States and other like-minded partners to increase our pressure through further sanctions, direct sanctions and secondary sanctions.

More economic measures to push Russia to stop this war, to stop killing people, to stop destroying Ukraine. The work has already started in Brussels on the new sanctions package, and a European team is travelling to Washington DC to work with our American friends.

And we are working together with you, with Ukrainian people. To own our common future.

Supporting Ukraine's reconstruction and its European Union's accession path. It is clear that Ukraine's European Union full membership is not only the best security guarantees, it is also the most effective path for prosperity and for the best future for Ukrainian people.

I want to stress here today how impressed we are with the reforms you have carried out with the war in your soil.

This work must continue, and we are there to support you.

We are supporting you in the war when it is continuous. We will support you in your peace efforts in future peace negotiations and most important in our shared future as Ukrainian full membership of the European Union.

Thank you, Dear Volodymyr, and Glory Ukraine.