Russia cannot gain advantage at negotiating table while losing on battlefield – Costa

The President of the European Council Antonio Costa stated this at a press conference in Kyiv, Ukrinform's correspondent reports.

Costa noted that the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is not only about remembering the past but also about shaping the future.

He welcomed the efforts of the United States and partners to achieve peace, stressing that it must be based on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the principles of the UN Charter.

"Russia cannot be permitted to make gains at the negotiating table when it has failed on the battlefield… Russia must come to the negotiation table in a serious way and accept that it will not win this war. After four years of aggression, Ukraine has held firm, and Russia has not achieved its objectives in Ukraine," Costa said.

He assured that Ukraine can rely on the European Union, which has provided financial, political, diplomatic, and security support since the first day of Russia's aggression and will certainly continue to do so.

As previously reported, President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel called on Europe not to allow terms to be imposed on Ukraine.