Participants at the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik strongly support Ukraine's peace formula
The war in Ukraine and holding Russia accountable for the aggression unleashed is the focus of a two-day meeting of European leaders at the Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. This is the fourth such meeting of the Council of Europe since its creation in 1949.
According to the organisers, the meeting will see officials "reaffirm their commitment to the core values of the Council of Europe, refocus their mission in the light of new threats to human rights and democracy and continue to support Ukraine".
Opening the meeting, President Volodimir Zelenski, speaking online, said diplomacy would ensure the success of the Ukrainian peace formula. Zelenski, who has just returned from a European tour, thanked Europe for its support and stressed the power of European unity.
"We are Europeans, therefore we are free. We are Europeans, so we value peace. We are Europeans, so we act 100% of our power when it comes to protecting our way of life. May these be the rules of our continent forever!" said Volodimir Zelenski.
While almost all European countries have offered military aid or received refugees from Ukraine, the Council of Europe has a unique role in coordinating legal and judicial support.
"Europe must make a choice. If our standards fail, Europe will return to the wilderness. So let us reinvest in what has served us well. Now is the time to set this course for the benefit of all Europeans," said Maria Pejcovic Buric, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also conveyed her strong support for Ukraine's peace formula, which is the foundation of her path to peace.
"We will do our utmost for Ukraine to win peace. A just peace. And we will do nothing with Ukraine without Ukraine. That is why we strongly support Ukraine's peace formula. The Ukrainian peace formula is the foundation of their road to peace. And that's why I come to this Summit with a call - to really rally behind this peace formula. In these trying times, it is so important to join forces. Ukrainians are fighting for democracy and freedom. It is our common struggle."
Summit participants aim to outline the principles of a system that would allow Moscow to be sued to pay compensation for victims and give the devastated country a chance to begin the process of economic recovery. They hope the United States, which has observer status at the meeting, will also support the initiative. The Council of Europe, made up of 46 democratic countries, is the continent's largest political organisation. This is the first summit in 18 years. Russia, a Council of Europe member since 1996, was expelled in March 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. Belarus, a Russian ally, is represented at the summit only as an observer.
