We continue to share with you the key speeches delivered at the IV Ukraine–France Forum, which recently took place in Paris. Today, we highlight the main points and quotes from the speech of Benjamin Haddad, Minister Delegate for Europe, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs:

• Russia’s war against Ukraine goes far beyond a regional conflict. It is a political war against democracy, European values, and Ukraine’s right to become a member of the EU and NATO;
• France supports Ukraine’s European aspirations and recognizes the significant progress made in implementing reforms even during wartime. European integration is a long-term process that requires continuous effort, particularly in ensuring the independence of the judiciary and the media. Ukrainian society continues to take these steps even under extremely challenging conditions;
• the strategic objective of the allies is to create conditions for a lasting peace and reliable security guarantees, while preventing Russia from consolidating its position and compelling it to agree to end the war;
•  even if a ceasefire agreement was reached tomorrow, Europe must continue to support a strong and independent Ukrainian army, while harnessing its innovative potential — particularly in the field of drones, whose effectiveness is already visible on the battlefield;
• among the key priorities is cooperation with the coalition of the willing on the deployment of a European contingent in strategically important regions to deter Russia, as well as long-term engagement in the process of Europe’s rearmament;
• the minister recalled Russia’s systematic disregard for international commitments — from the Budapest Memorandum to its ongoing aggression — and outlined the scale of threats to European security. The situation in Moldova, Russian interference in the internal affairs of European states, drones over Poland and Romania, and Russian aircraft in Estonian airspace all represent a serious challenge to Europe;
• Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own defence, develop its capabilities, and deepen cooperation with partners — particularly within the framework of the coalition of the willing;
• Ukraine is fighting not only for its own future but also for the stability and security of the entire European continent. It is a candidate country that is already defending Europe today. This is also a test for France — whether it will be able, in the long term, to guarantee its own security and strategic autonomy.

Watch the recording in Ukrainian: https://cutt.ly/JrMLTgUJ

The Forum is organized by the New Europe Center in partnership with Ifri with the support of French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. For this event, the New Europe Center is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation.