Mitsotakis: Only Ukraine has right to decide its future

Only Ukraine has the right to decide on its future and it must be part of any peace process to bring an end to the war sparked by the Russia’s invasion three years ago, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said.

Speaking via teleconference at an event in Ukraine’s capital to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, “only Ukraine can, should, and will decide on accepting or rejecting any peace formula. No other, no one can make this decision for Kyiv,” he said.

“A just peace cannot be confused with an unjust capitulation, nor can a temporary ceasefire be confused with a lasting peace. We need a peace settlement with very clear security guarantees which will act as deterrence and prevention in the future, guarantees that will be robust, that will be effective, so that any future aggression is deterred and peace is preserved.”

He said that “Greece has steadfastly supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We have been unwavering in our calls for the respect of international law and the United Nations Charter. Greece has faithfully stood by Ukraine. It has provided vital military but also energy assistance. It has opened up its doors to thousands of refugees who fled the horrors of war.

“There’s been so much suffering, so much destruction, so many lives that have been disrupted, and it is imperative that we all work towards bringing this to an end.”

Mitsotakis said that the stakes have never been higher, in particular for European security.

“We are willing to work together with a European, with our American, with our international partners, towards facilitating the attainment of a lasting peace. But we in Europe also need to step up our commitment to our own collective European defense.”

He pointed out that Greece has been spending more than 3% of its GDP on defense and he called on others to do the same.

A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada attended the event in Kyiv, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but top US officials stayed away in a clear illustration of President Donald Trump’s lurch towards Moscow since returning to power.

Still reeling from Trump denouncing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and accusing him of starting the war, Kyiv said it was in the final stages of agreeing a deal with Washington to provide access to its mineral wealth.

“We hope both US and UA leaders might sign and endorse it in Washington the soonest to showcase our commitment for decades to come,” Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna wrote on X.

The deal is at the heart of Kyiv’s bid to win US support, but officials have wrangled over its wording in the shadow of an extraordinary war of words between Trump and Zelenskyy, who said the US leader was living in a “disinformation bubble.”

Zelenskyy refused to sign an earlier draft in which Washington sought $500 billion in natural wealth, protesting that Kyiv had received nowhere near that much US aid and that the draft lacked the security guarantees Ukraine needs.

Beyond the barbs, US officials opened direct talks with the Russian side in Saudi Arabia last week, shutting out Kyiv and Europe in a stunning change of policy on the war.

Zelenskyy, who has told Europe to create its own army while urging Washington to be pragmatic, welcomed a slew of European and other leaders to a summit in Kyiv to commemorate the start in 2022 of the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

“This year should be the year of the beginning of a real, lasting peace. Putin will not gift us this peace, nor will he give it to us in exchange for anything. We have to win peace with strength, wisdom and unity – with our cooperation,” he said.

“In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” von der Leyen wrote on X.

The European leaders rallied around Zelenskyy in speeches, calling for countries on the continent to step up support for Kyiv, while some spoke of the urgent need to increase defence spending.

Source: AMNA, AP, Reuters