Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking 1000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Opening the sitting, EP President Roberta Metsola said that Parliament would continue standing with Ukraine until it has “freedom and real peace, for as long as it takes.”

She also said Russia had launched a “brutal, unprovoked and illegal assault on Ukraine but also on the rules-based order”. The Ukrainian people’s sacrifice over the last 1000 days is not just for themselves but for every European’s freedom and way of life, President Metsola added. “Any real peace must be built on the principle of ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’,” President Metsola also stressed when concluding.

Zelenskyy: “We can surely push Russia towards a just peace.”

In his address, President Zelenskyy thanked the EU for its continuing support and said that Ukraine, all of Europe and our partners in America and around the world have succeeded not only in “preventing Putin from taking Ukraine” but also in defending the freedom of all European nations. “Putin remains smaller than the united strength of Europe. I urge you not to forget this, and not to forget how much Europe is capable of achieving. We can surely push Russia towards a just peace. Peace is what we desire the most,” he added.

While thanking its partners for their support for Ukraine’s Peace Formula, a Ukraine-led initiative to achieve a just conclusion to the war, President Zelenskyy stressed that Russia’s war must be met with firm sanctions, especially against it’s so-called “shadow tankers” transporting crude oil and petroleum products. “Putin can kill as long as these tankers operate,” he said, before continuing: “You know very well that Putin does not value people or rules, only money and power. These are the things we must take away from him to restore peace.”

President Zelenskyy concluded by saying: “No one can enjoy calm water amid the storm. We must do everything we can to end this war fairly and justly. 1000 days of war is a tremendous challenge. We must make the next year the year of peace.”

Intervention by political group speakers

The majority of political group leaders reaffirmed their firm support for Ukraine, calling on the EU’s leadership to deliver the necessary arms for Ukraine to win the war, including air defence systems, long-range missiles, tanks and drones. In light of the recent US elections, MEPs said Europe must stay united and take up more responsibility, while continuing to provide financial and humanitarian aid. Several group leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership aspirations, as well as for the creation of a true European defence pillar. They stressed that Europe will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, with everything that it takes.

Closing the session, President Metsola announced that the Ukrainian flag will fly alongside the EU one at Parliament’s buildings in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg.