Stefanishyna: Best response to Russian aggression, except winning on battlefield, to be formation of strong European agenda, where Ukraine should be leader

KYIV. March 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine has shown the whole world that European values must be fought for, and the best response to Russian aggression, in addition to winning on the battlefield, will be the formation of a strong agenda, a strong Europe, where Ukraine should be the leader, Deputy Prime Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna has said.

“Measuring security has become part of EU policy, since Ukraine has shown the whole world that it is necessary to fight for values, for the European way of life. Unfortunately, with weapons in hand. But this is a reality that was formulated not by Ukraine, not Europe, but by Russia,” she said at Ukraine-France Forum on Friday.

Stefanishyna also said the best response to Russian aggression, apart from winning on the battlefield, would be “forming a strong agenda, a strong Europe.” She stressed the need to create its own European agenda, where Ukraine should be a leader.

At the same time, she noted a series of unprecedented decisions by the EU in support of Ukraine’s struggle for values and freedom. In particular, the first decision in the history of the EU to finance military assistance; EU decisions on the development of the defense industry.

“Now, when the war is going on, we are fighting not just for our European future, we are fighting for the life that we know, for which we fought for the Revolution of Dignity – the life of a free, democratic country. But since February 24, Ukraine has also changed the world, and this role, this Ukrainian spirit should become part of the EU. We have returned the EU to the global arena,” she said.