On January 5, the chief diplomat of the European Union accompanied by Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba went to the frontline in Donbas.

“There’s no security of Europe without security in Ukraine. Any discussion about European security must include the European Union and Ukraine. Any discussion about Ukraine must include Ukraine first of all. To speak about the security of Europe is impossible without consultations and participation of Europeans. We are coordinating with the United States, NATO and other like-minded partners. And that’s why I’m here today to express our support for Ukraine,” Borrell said. 

According to the EU High Representative, the conflict on the borders is on the verge of getting deeper and tensions have been building up with respect to the European security as a whole.

It was assumed that during the first Geneva meeting of the presidents of the United States and Russia they were in the process of building lines of communication but today things are different and the world observes the massing of Russian troops and weapons on the border with Ukraine and demands of the Kremlin for security guarantees for Russia, Borrell noted.

“But we are no longer in the Yalta times. The delimitation of the spheres of influence of the two big powers does not belong in 2022. The security of Europe and the security in Ukraine – because Ukraine is part of Europe - is something that first and foremost affects Ukrainians, and Europeans.”, said Josep Borrell.

Borrell stressed that he came to Ukraine first of all to show the full support of the European Union for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and to work together to de-escalate the conflict.

“Our main interest, concern and purpose is to try to de-escalate the tensions through these negotiations and others that will follow, but also through strong stands and firm positions on supporting Ukraine… any military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe costs,” added Josep Borrell.

For his part, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed, “Ukraine and the European Union have agreed that Russia has no right to divide Europe in zones of influence and determine where, how and when the bloc can expand and what the relationship between Ukraine and the bloc will be. It is a relationship exclusively between Kyiv and Brussels and Moscow has no voting rights.”

According to Kuleba, Ukraine and the European Union are facing a task to urge the Russian Federation through diplomatic means to lessen tensions and to refuse to pursue its aggressive plans.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security paid a working visit to Ukraine January 5-6. It was Josep Borrells’ first foreign trip this year.

The newspaper Voice of Ukraine