The European Parliament has backed Ukraine’s bid to receive candidate status to become an EU member, EP President Roberta Metsola has said.

“Let me be clear: the European Parliament, which I have the honour and responsibility to preside, stands firmly behind Ukraine’s bid to receive EU candidate status,” Metsola said in a keynote address during the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.

“Ukraine is already part of our European family, but it is high time that it is also given the real opportunity to join our European project.”

“This is about hope. This is about an acknowledgement of the price that Ukraine has been forced to pay. And it is as much about strengthening Europe as it is about strengthening Ukraine.”

Ukraine was invaded by the Russian government in February of this year and the conflict has continued to shock many across the globe amid accusations of war crimes and other atrocities. 

The European Parliament has been one of the leaders in providing support to Ukraine. However, concerns have been routinely raised over Ukraine’s EU membership in the face of Russian aggression. 

So far, the EU has provided financial assistance both militarily and economically to Ukraine, while also imposing strict sanctions on Russia, something which Metsola said is working.

“Sanctions are starting to bite. But we must go further. This must become too costly for Russia to continue. Ultimately, Putin is staring down the world hoping that we will blink first. But we cannot do that,” she said.

“Our economic sacrifices today are an investment in our and our children’s ability to live in a free and democratic world.  We must disentangle ourselves from Russian energy.”

“We also need to be prepared to support Ukraine beyond emergency help. Supporting Ukraine is also about investing in its reconstruction and in the reinforcement of its institutions.”

“We will help Ukraine with ambitious reforms to maintain a real system of democratic governance with resilient, effective and accountable institutions. This is not only about safeguarding Ukrainian democracy but also about preserving European – and global – democracy too.”

Metsola also reiterated that the EU must focus on strengthening its security and fence mechanisms, urging for a new security network that “complements rather than competes with NATO”.

“I am a politician. I understand real politik. I understand the art of the possible. But I also understand that Putin did not stop in Crimea. He would not have stopped in Kyiv. So while we will keep pushing for peace, it must be a real peace. A peace with liberty. A peace with dignity. A peace with justice. A peace with accountability. In Europe, we know the cost of appeasement, we know the weight of walls and iron curtains, we know that turning away is paid in lives crushed and generations lost,” she said.

“This is our moment. This is Europe’s time. How will history judge our actions? Will future generations read about the triumph of democracy over authoritarianism? Of multilateralism over isolationism? I don’t think so.”