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(Madeline Yarbrough)
As Ukraine’s counteroffensive slowly progresses and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization expands, leaders from Ukraine, Moldova, and each of the Bucharest Nine countries gathered in Washington for the inaugural Central and Eastern European Strategy Summit ahead of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.
Below are key quotes from the summit, the first event of its kind in multiple years.
Key Insights
1. Ukrainian victory is essential to European security.
“Let’s not replace peace with appeasement. Let’s not start so-called peace negotiations or so-called ceasefire without withdrawal of Russia’s troops from Ukraine, since it will not lead to peace.”
– Amb. Liubov Nepop, Political Director, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“This war is meant by Russia as a potential beginning of a deep transformation of all the world system. . . . This is meant to be the end of the rule-based international order.”
– Amb. Jaroslav Kurfürst, Director General for Europe, Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2. NATO and the European Union benefit from Central and Eastern European engagement.
“There is no alternative for getting peace in Europe, long-term stability, if we don’t allow Ukraine to enter into NATO. . . . If we are able to solve that with Ukraine, I think we will be able also to show to countries like Georgia that that’s possible.”
– H.E. Andžejs Viļumsons, Political Director, Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“Bulgaria and Romania can increase the energy security and resilience in all Europe because we are on the way . . . from the Middle East and Caucasus region. . . . This will give opportunity to [Europe] to access liquid gas from America, Qatar, Algeria, and hopefully soon from Cyprus, Israel, et cetera.”
– H.E. Ekaterina Zaharieva, Vice Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee, Bulgarian National Assembly
3. Strong alliances in Europe are important to deter China.
“China also sees consequences in the Indo-Pacific. And this is what really worries them. . . . And they know this is one of the consequences of this war in Ukraine . . . you cannot de-link somehow North Korea and the Indo-Pacific from the war in Ukraine.”
– Amb. Witold Sobków, Political Director, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“American leadership has been indispensable from day one, and it remains so. At the same time, I do believe . . . when the day comes we’ll stand in defense of international order in the Asia-Pacific as well. That’s the value of alliances for us and for the United States.”
– Amb. Igna Stanytė-Toločkienė, Political Director, Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Quotes may be edited for clarity and length.
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