The EU's northern flank has increased support for Ukraine

Baku/04.05.23/Turan: The leaders of Ukraine and the five Nordic countries issued a joint statement following the Helsinki summit on May 3, in which they reiterated their strong condemnation of Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

 The statement calls for Russia to withdraw all military forces from Ukrainian territory within its internationally recognized borders immediately, completely and unconditionally.

The Nordic countries also express their commitment to supporting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and have already provided significant political, financial, humanitarian and military support, totaling approximately EUR 4.4 billion since February 2022.

The statement also supports Ukraine's initiative for a just and sustainable peace based on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The leaders also underscore their commitment to bringing those responsible for war crimes and other atrocities to justice, and encourage the establishment of an appropriate mechanism for prosecuting the crime of aggression.

The leaders also agree on the need to increase collective pressure on Russia through further sanctions, and to explore options for the financing of a compensation mechanism to support Ukraine's reconstruction.

The Nordic countries also express their commitment to participating in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine after the war.

The statement also emphasizes that the future of Ukraine and its people lies within the Euro-Atlantic family and that the Nordic EU members will support Ukraine in its reform efforts and meeting the requirements needed to start accession negotiations as soon as possible.

The statement also notes that the issue of Ukraine's membership in NATO will be addressed at the Summit in Vilnius in July 2023.

During the press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his support for Ukraine to become NATO's 33rd member.--0--