European Parliament Press Kit for the Special European Council of 6 March 2025
In this press kit, you will find a selection of the European Parliament’s press releases reflecting MEPs’ recent positions on Ukraine and European defence.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will represent the European Parliament at the special summit, where she will address the heads of state or government at 12.30.
European Council President António Costa convened the Special European Council to discuss continued support for Ukraine and European defence, with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
On 24 February 2025, the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission issued a joint statement, saying “Russia and its leadership bear sole responsibility for this war and the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian population. We continue to call for accountability for all war crimes and crimes against humanity committed. We welcome the recent steps made towards the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.”
The three Presidents highlighted that “Ukraine is part of our European family” and that “the future of Ukraine and its citizens lies within the European Union.”. They said “the need to ensure the international community’s continued focus on supporting Ukraine in achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the Ukrainian peace formula. We stand firm with Ukraine, reaffirming that peace, security, and justice will prevail.”
On 11 February, Parliament’s Conference of Presidents issued a statement on continuing the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression. EP leaders reaffirmed their “steadfast solidarity with the people of Ukraine, who continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and courage in defending their sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. The European Union must remain united in its commitment to support Ukraine that includes political, military, economic, humanitarian and financial assistance. (...) . We call on the EU and its member states to increase and speed up the delivery of its support, in particular of its military support and establish a legal regime allowing for the confiscation of Russian-owned assets frozen by the EU.”
Also on 11 February, the Chair of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, addressed a formal sitting of the European Parliament. Welcoming Mr Stefanchuk, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “I am proud that this Parliament has stood with Ukraine from the very first moment - united, unwavering, and resolute. We will keep pushing for peace. Peace must be just, it must be dignified, and it must be based on the principle of ‘Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’.”
In a resolution adopted on 23 January, MEPs condemn the Russian regime’s systematic falsification of historical arguments to justify its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The text rejects historical claims by the Russian regime used to undermine Ukraine’s history and national identity as futile attempts to justify its ongoing illegal war. Parliament issues a strong call for the EU and its member states to increase and better coordinate their efforts to promptly and rigorously counter Russian disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference. This is essential, they say, to protect the integrity of democratic processes and strengthen the resilience of European societies.
The resolution also calls on the EU to expand its sanctions against Russian media outlets conducting disinformation campaigns championing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It urges EU countries to implement these sanctions thoroughly and to dedicate sufficient resources to effectively addressing hybrid warfare. MEPs also want the EU to step up its support for exiled independent Russian media to facilitate diverse voices in the Russian-language media.
On 28 November 2024, MEPs adopted a resolution calling for more military support for Ukraine amid the involvement of China and North Korea. They condemn Russia’s use of North Korean troops against the Ukrainian army and its testing of new ballistic missiles in Ukraine. These recent escalatory steps represent a new phase in the war and a new risk for Europe’s security as a whole, MEPs argue, calling on the EU and Ukraine’s other international partners to respond accordingly.
Insisting that “no negotiations about Ukraine can take place without Ukraine”, MEPs urge the EU to work towards achieving the broadest possible international support for Ukraine and identifying a peaceful solution to the war. The resolution also demands the Council extend its sanctions against Russia, particularly against sectors of special economic importance, such as the metallurgical, nuclear, chemical, agricultural and banking sectors, and on Russian raw materials.
Extraordinary plenary session with Volodymyr Zelenskyy
On 19 November 2024, Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking 1000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Opening the sitting, EP President Roberta Metsola said Parliament would stand with Ukraine until it has “freedom and real peace, for as long as it takes.” She added that the Ukrainian people’s sacrifice over the previous 1,000 days was not just for themselves but for every European’s freedom and way of life.
In his address, President Zelenskyy thanked the EU for its support and said that Ukraine, all of Europe, and our partners in America and around the world have succeeded not only in “preventing Putin from taking Ukraine” but also in defending the freedom of all European nations. “Putin remains smaller than the united strength of Europe. I urge you not to forget this, and not to forget how much Europe is capable of achieving. We can surely push Russia towards a just peace. Peace is what we desire the most,” he added. President Zelenskyy concluded by saying: “No one can enjoy calm water amid the storm. We must do everything we can to end this war fairly and justly. 1,000 days of war is a tremendous challenge. We must make the next year the year of peace.”
Statement by EP leaders marking 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
Also on 19 November 2024, Parliament’s President and political group leaders adopted a statement marking 1,000 days of Russia's illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine. “We have started EU accession talks with Ukraine as it moves towards taking its rightful place in our European family. The gradual integration of Ukraine into the Union will be a central task for all EU institutions in this legislature, along with providing long-term financial and military assistance and much-needed support,” they said. They said, “The ultimate goal remains to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine on Ukraine’s terms, ensuring the safety and dignity of its people within a peaceful and stable Europe. Together, the democratic world must send a clear, simple message: we stand with and support Ukraine in every possible way until its victory.”
Measures against the Russian “shadow fleet”
In a resolution adopted on 14 November 2024, Parliament calls for more targeted EU sanctions against Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’, which provides a key financial lifeline for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. MEPs demand measures against these vessels in the next EU sanctions packages, including all individual ships as well as their owners, operators, managers, accounts, banks and insurance companies. They also call for the systematic sanctioning of vessels sailing through EU waters without known insurance and urge the EU to enhance its surveillance capabilities, especially drone and satellite monitoring, and to conduct targeted inspections at sea. MEPs want EU member states to designate ports capable of handling sanctioned vessels carrying crude oil and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and to seize illegal cargo without compensation.
Financial assistance to Ukraine
On 22 October 2024, MEPs approved an extraordinary loan of up to €35 billion to Ukraine, to be repaid with future revenues from frozen Russian assets. Parliament endorsed the new macro-financial assistance (MFA) to help Ukraine against Russia’s brutal war of aggression. This loan is the EU’s part of a G7 package agreed last June, to provide up to $50 billion (approximately €45 billion) in financial support to Ukraine. The final amount the EU will contribute could be lower, depending on the size of the loans provided by other G7 partners.
The Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, a newly established framework, will make future revenues from the frozen Russian Central Bank assets located in the EU available to Ukraine. These funds will help Ukraine service and repay the EU’s MFA loan as well as loans from other G7 partners. While the mechanism’s funds can be used to service and repay loans, Kyiv may allocate the MFA funds as it sees fit.
