Ukraine must fully join the European Union and receive clear security guarantees from NATO, and victory over Russia is a key condition for stability on the European continent. This was stated by former President of Poland (2015–2025) Andrzej Duda in his speech at the 18th Annual Kyiv Security Forum on the theme “Darkness or Dawn: Is There Light Ahead?”
At the beginning of his speech, he recalled his visit to Kyiv on February 23, 2022, together with the President of Lithuania, calling it a symbolic moment on the eve of the full-scale invasion. As the former president emphasized, this visit was not just a gesture but a commitment:
“It was a promise that Poland, Lithuania, and the entire democratic world would stand alongside Ukraine.”
Duda stressed that Poland fulfilled this commitment by opening its borders to millions of Ukrainians, becoming a key logistics hub for aid, and transferring its own weapons and military equipment to Ukraine.
“We did this because we understood: Ukraine’s security is Poland’s security, and Poland’s security is the security of the entire transatlantic community,” he said. The former president emphasized that the main task now is to continue supporting Ukraine in the war while also thinking about the future. “We must already answer the question that will define the next decade: how to help Ukraine not only rebuild what has been destroyed, but become a sovereign, independent, modern European state,” he noted.
Duda also highlighted the importance of Ukraine’s European integration.
“Ukraine belongs in the European Union. For now, in a spiritual sense, but full membership is not a matter of charity. It is a matter of justice and strategic necessity,” he said.
He also stressed that Ukraine must receive clear and reliable security guarantees:
“Ukraine deserves clear and credible security guarantees from NATO, with a clear path to full membership, if this is the sovereign will of the Ukrainian people.”
He emphasized that the war must end with a just peace that includes the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Duda also stressed that Russia must be held accountable and called for stronger sanctions against the Russian Federation in order to максимально limit its military potential and income from energy resources.
He added that Russian energy projects, in particular Nord Stream, should be completely dismantled, as they created dependency and undermined Europe’s security.
Speaking about post-war reconstruction, Duda said it should be carried out primarily by Ukrainians. According to him, the main source of funding should be frozen Russian assets.
In conclusion, Duda called on the international community not to allow “war fatigue.”
“There is no place for war fatigue. The free world will not grow tired. We will support Ukraine until victory,” he said.
He emphasized that Ukraine’s victory would be a victory for the entire democratic world and a guarantee of security in Europe:
“Ukraine’s victory will be the victory of the free world.”
