Joint Declaration by the Foreign Ministers of United
Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain as well as the
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy in Madrid on 31 March 2025.
Three days after the anniversary of the Bucha massacre, we
reiterate our unwavering support for Ukraine's independence,
sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and for a comprehensive,
just and lasting peace based on the principles of the United
Nations Charter and international law, building on our Warsaw
Declaration of 19 November, our Berlin Declaration of 12 December
and our Paris Declaration of 12 February.
Ukraine has shown its strong commitment to peace, also by
agreeing to a full ceasefire without preconditions. However,
Russia's aggression against Ukraine has not ceased. Instead of
imposing new conditions and launching continued attacks on
Ukrainian cities and infrastructure that cause more and more
victims, Russia must now show it is serious about ending its war.
We call on Russia to stop its delaying tactics and
reciprocate by agreeing without delay, as Ukraine has done, to an
immediate unconditional ceasefire on equal terms and implementing
it fully. We need to see progress within a clear timeframe.
Building on the recent meetings in Paris and London, we took
forward the discussion on how best to support a comprehensive,
just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which is vital for Ukraine,
for Europe and for the whole international community.
We remain committed to further political, financial, economic,
humanitarian, military and diplomatic support for Ukraine,
together with our international partners. To this end, we will
strengthen Ukraine through significant short and long-term
military support, also in the framework of Capability Coalitions
and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which will hold its next
meeting on 11 April. Many European partners, including the
members of this group, have made substantive additional pledges
to support Ukraine militarily and are planning similar
commitments in the future.
We also stand ready to apply further pressure on Russia using all
tools available, including by adopting new sanctions, to hinder
its ability to wage its war of aggression and to ensure Ukraine
is placed in the best position possible to secure a just and
lasting peace. We reiterate that Russia's assets should remain
immobilized until Russia ceases its war of aggression against
Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused.
We are also strongly committed to ensuring full accountability
for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in
connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The
progress made on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of
Aggression against Ukraine, within the framework of the Council
of Europe, is an important step.
A credible pathway to peace must include humanitarian relief
efforts, notably the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of
civilians and the return of all Ukrainian children and other
civilians unlawfully deported and transferred to Russia and
Belarus.
We support efforts for a ceasefire that can lead to the
establishment of a just and lasting peace. We welcome recent
progress to define the essential elements for a viable and
sustainable ceasefire, including a clear framework of monitoring
and verification.
Peace must be sustainable, backed by effective guarantees to
prevent further acts of aggression. Real, robust and credible
security guarantees for Ukraine are an indispensable element of a
just and lasting peace, based on Ukraine's sovereign right to
determine its security relationships with its partners, and on
the duty of the international community to prevent future Russian
aggression. We stand ready to play a leading role in this regard.
Peace must be just, and Russia's war of aggression cannot end
with a reward to the aggressor. There can be no agreement that
compromises on Euro-Atlantic security and the independence,
sovereignty territorial integrity of Ukraine. We will not accept
any agreement that restricts Ukraine's military and defence
industry or the military presence of partner countries in
Ukraine.
We stand ready to do our share in order to achieve this peace.
Europe now provides almost two thirds of all support to Ukraine,
and 60% of military aid. We reiterate our ironclad commitment to
NATO as the bedrock of Euro-Atlantic security and commit to take
on greater responsibility for the future of the security and
defense of the European continent, aiming at a significant result
at the summit in The Hague.
We reiterate the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own
destiny and to defend its democracy. Ukraine's future is in
Europe and in the European Union, and Ukraine's future is crucial
for the security of Europe. Europe must be fully involved in the
negotiations and will make its own decisions.
We remain committed to supporting Ukraine's repair, recovery and
reconstruction, in coordination with international partners.
We reaffirm our commitment to our democratic values, and to
further engage with our global partners in order to promote
together a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the
universal principles of the United Nations Charter.
We reaffirm that Europe must assume more responsibility for its
own security and become better equipped and deal with immediate
and future challenges.
