“We started the year fighting the tail end of the COVID pandemic and enduring the escalating tensions with Russia, and then the tragic war was unleashed by Russia in Ukraine,” says President Karis, looking back on the year now ending. “We are finishing 2022 with high inflation and serious questions about energy security. At the same time, Russia has made the civilian population of Ukraine a prime military target to be broken and destroyed.”
“Through all these challenges we have managed to stay united, supporting one another and not giving up,” says President Karis. “Now more than ever I am proud to be a European, and now more than ever I am convinced of the value of the European Union and NATO in ensuring peace, stability, security and prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic area.”
According to the Head of State, everyone has been inspired and impressed by the courage, resilience and fighting spirit of the Ukrainian people. “They show determination to defend their nation, their democracy and their right to choose Europe as their political home. The price they are paying for the freedom to choose their own destiny is unimaginably high,” says President Karis.
The UN Charter requires all countries to stand by Ukraine and do their utmost to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, reports Karis. He emphasises that it is crucial that Russia is made to pay for the damage caused and that the war criminals are held accountable. It is also important for us to become stronger, so we can better defend ourselves.
According to the Head of State, in the coming year, the ongoing provision of economic and military support to Ukraine and the continuation of European and Euro-Atlantic integration will be the focus of our efforts. “We know the value of both membership and the work needed to prepare for accession,” he says. “Enlargement will take place once the candidates have met the relevant criteria. If our goal is peace, we should take enlargement seriously, because NATO and European Union membership are the only viable guarantees for peace and security in Europe,” explains the Head of State.
