Athens Declaration: 11 leaders of the Balkan countries expressed support for Ukraine

Late yesterday, August 21, 2023, at a meeting of the leaders of the Balkan countries in the Greek capital, the Athens Declaration was adopted and signed, including eight positions.

In Megaro Maxima, where informal meeting at the invitation of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, 11 leaders of states expressed support for Ukraine, writes CNN Greece.

They declared unwavering support for “the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, based on the values ​​of democracy and the rule of law in the face of Russian aggression.” And agreed that “there can be no impunity for war crimes” and other atrocities, such as attacks on civilians and the destruction of infrastructure, and that all those responsible must be held accountable.”

The Athens Declaration of Eight Positions was published in English. It states that, in addition to the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, which are geographically adjacent to the EU member states, have a common European heritage, and “as a strategic investment in peace, security and stability in Europe, it is important that these regions are perceived as full members of the European family.

Athens Declaration

We, President Aleksandar Vucic, President Maia Sandu, President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Yakov Milatovic, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Colakou, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Prime Minister Borjana Cristo, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, in the presence of the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, met today in Athens, twenty years after the historic EU-Western Balkans summit in Thessaloniki, and issued the following statement:

1. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a turning point for Europe, creating a new level of awareness of common principles, unity and a common future within the EU. This is a critical moment for security, peace and stability on our European continent. The laws and principles that have so long contributed to a stable and predictable European security order have been violated, and once again we are witnessing the catastrophic consequences of revisionism.
2. In the face of Russian aggression, we express our unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, based on the values ​​of democracy and the rule of law.
3. During our discussions in Athens today, we expressed our support and appreciation for the serious efforts of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to establish the principles of peace in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations in his Peace Formula. We also welcomed the efforts of the UN General Assembly to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
4. We agreed that there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as attacks on civilians and the destruction of infrastructure, and that all those responsible must be held accountable.
5. Twenty years ago, the Thessaloniki summit recognized that the Western Balkans belong to the European Union. We firmly believe that today this statement remains more relevant than ever. The escalation of the war of aggression against Ukraine has revealed the urgent need for a strong, resilient and inclusive EU as the cornerstone of peace and prosperity among our peoples in these difficult times.
6. We emphasized that the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, which are geographically neighbors of the EU Member States, share a common European heritage, history and future defined by common opportunities and challenges. As a strategic contribution to peace, security and stability in Europe, it is important that these regions are perceived as full members of the European family.
7. Today in Athens we discussed how to make this vision of Europe a reality. We stressed the importance of setting a goal to complete the EU vision enriched by the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. We stressed the need to revitalize and reorient the expansion process in a way that is tangible and credible, without circumvention of the conditions set. We expressed our readiness to support Ukraine and Moldova in the next steps in their accession process after they complete the necessary reforms.
8. We firmly believe that, 20 years after the Thessaloniki Summit and in light of the new geopolitical reality, the time has come to adopt a bold and ambitious end goal to serve as guidance, inspiration and foundation.

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