EU membership will be political anchor of security guarantees for Ukraine – Kos

Ukraine's accession to the European Union will enhance the security of the entire continent while serving as a key element of broader security guarantees for Ukraine in the future.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"When I speak about the security in Europe, I mean Europe cannot be secure without stable and democratic Ukraine," Kos said, adding that Ukraine's EU membership will be a "political anchor of security guarantees."

She noted that in pre-war times, during previous waves of EU enlargement, member states were guided mainly by economic considerations.

"We had forgotten in the EU, even back in the times when my country Slovenia became a member, in 2004, that the project of the European Union is about peace, freedom, and prosperity. I admit, when we entered the EU in 2004, we have seen our membership mostly through the economic glasses: how much money we will get, how much better we will live. […] But now, because of the war in your country, geopolitics have completely changed," Kos said.

She stressed that she could not imagine a secure Europe without Ukraine, especially in light of the position of the U.S. administration, which is calling on Europe to "take more responsibility for our security."

President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said that security guarantees for Ukraine should not wait until the end of the war, as there may never be a final document formally marking the end of Russian aggression.

Ukrinform photos are available for purchase here.