Submitted by Political Commission 3
Adopted by the Federal Committee in Sofia on 30 March 2025.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shattered the peace that the founders of the EU worked so hard to build since World War II and the Yugoslav Wars.
The stakes in this unprovoked war of aggression go beyond the territory of Ukraine: should Russia win, it would undermine the international rules-based order and strike a severe blow to democracies everywhere.
Moreover, the democratic transformation process in Ukraine that began with the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, requires a stronger, better-structured and continued longer-term support by the EU.
JEF Europe demands active involvement and assistance by the EU and its Member States to support Ukraine in its striving for a European future.

JEF Europe,

• Strongly condemning the ongoing Russian invasion of the territory of Ukraine that already led to thousands of fatalities and injuries, and a humanitarian crisis with millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Ukrainian refugees across Europe;
• Recognising Russia as an actively colonialist and imperialist state which not only pursues a revisionist foreign policy but also pursues an aggressive policy of russification across its internationally recognised territory and the states which it influences.
  A policy which eradicates local cultures and systemically purges all forms of diversity within the Russian Federation;
• Recognizing that the Russian Federation’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine is not merely an attack on a sovereign nation but a genocidal campaign aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity, culture, and political autonomy, as deemed e.g. by the Council of Europe;
• Recognizing that the goals of “denazification” and “demilitarization”, often claimed to be prerequisites for peace by Russia, are guises for dismantling Ukrainian political culture, democracy and sovereignty;
• Further condemning the illegal violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the illegal annexation of Crimea and the breach of international law by the Russian Federation;
• Believing that the defeat of Ukraine and its subjugation to Russia would seriously undermine the rules-based international order and increase the likelihood of violent conflicts and human rights violations everywhere in the world;
• Acknowledging that Ukraine’s survival and success in resisting Russian aggression are critical to European security, and that any Russian victory would embolden further acts of authoritarian expansionism;
• Recalling that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued warrants for war crimes committed by Russian forces, and that all EU Member States must adhere to their obligations under the Rome Statute to hold perpetrators accountable;
• Grateful to the Ukrainian people for their brave defence of our common values;
• Respecting the demands expressed by the Euromaidan and Ukrainian civil society and people for a European future for Ukraine;
• Appreciating the ongoing reform process of Ukraine on all levels of Ukrainian society and praising the Ukrainian government, local authorities, civil society organisations and people for their work towards EU membership, both before and since the eruption of the war;
• Noting that the Ukrainian transformation process, despite its hurdles, is a good example of the attractiveness of the EU model for Eastern Partnership countries;
• Commending the Ukrainian armed defence, resulting in significant victories and still practically stalling the Russian invasion, such as the 2022 Kyiv Counterattack, the 2022 Kharkiv Counterattack, the 2022 Kherson Counterattack and the 2024–2025 Kursk Offensive;
• Acknowledging the Ukrainian reform efforts prior to the war to counter vested interests and deep-rooted corruption throughout the country;
• Welcoming the decision of the EU on the 25 June 2022 to grant Ukraine the official candidate status as a first step to be a member of the European Union;
• Supporting the assistance the EU and other European countries have provided to Ukraine so far, following the demonstrations of support by the population across Europe;
• Noting with deep concern the dramatic turn in U.S. foreign policy towards leaning towards Russia and the global Far Right, calling into question its long-term support for European security and NATO commitments, which requires Europe to prepare for strategic autonomy;
• Recognising that as a result of the United States scaling back its support for Ukraine and pursuing a policy of coercive diplomacy against Ukraine, the European Union must step up to compensate for this loss, including through increased military assistance and diplomatic support;
• Acknowledging the uncertainty regarding U.S. nuclear weapons policy and emphasizing that Europe must be prepared to assume a greater role in nuclear deterrence and security frameworks;
• Noting with concern the disinformation campaigns conducted by Russian actors impeding the spread of reliable information;
• Opposing attempts to impose on Ukraine a ceasefire agreement without the consultation of Ukraine nor Europe by the United States;
• Reaffirming that the European future of Ukraine is non-negotiable and that Europe stands ready to defend Ukraine for as long as necessary;

JEF Europe therefore,

1. Sets the withdrawal of Russian forces from the territory of Ukraine as the goal of any peace negotiations supported by the EU;

2. Demands that the EU should never recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied Ukrainian territories and will uphold Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders;

3. Warns EU Member States against engaging in separate negotiations with Russia or the United States concerning Ukraine and stresses that the European Commission must lead Europe’s position;

4. Rejects any attempt by the United States to force Ukraine into a ceasefire or territorial or resource concessions, affirming that Europe must ensure Ukraine is not pressured into an unfavorable settlement;

5. Supports the deployment of European forces to Ukraine’s borders, reinforcing Eastern European security and acting as a deterrent against further Russian aggression, with a European military peacekeeping presence in Ukraine upon the war’s conclusion, to prevent further hostilities and stabilize the region;

6. Calls for the provision of meaningful, actionable, and reliable security guarantees from the EU, as part of any future ceasefire agreement, which would include on-the-ground European military peacekeeping presence;

7. Declares that in the absence of U.S. cooperation, the EU must take the lead in holding Russia accountable for its war crimes, including leading reparations negotiations and freezing Russian state and oligarchic assets;

8. Urges the speeding up of Ukraine’s EU accession process, with a clear roadmap for reforms and integration to secure Ukraine’s place in the European family;

9. Urges the EU to financially and materially help Ukraine in its reconstruction and modernisation efforts and to enlist the help of other willing nations around the world to help Ukraine towards this task, which could be partially financed by the proceeds of sanctions;

10. Calls on the EU to strengthen Humanitarian Assistance to Ukraine, IDPs and Ukrainian refugees in surrounding states, and reiterates the particular burden thus put on all of them;

11. Calls on the EU and its Member States to increase support for civil society in Ukraine, for instance by empowering the Ukrainian Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, and to take into account civil society recommendations;

12. Condemns the sham referenda conducted in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, and their annexation to the Russian Federation, as meaningless and contrary to international law;

13. Calls on the EU to further explore possibilities of integrating Ukraine in EU programmes and frameworks, as is currently done with regard to the Erasmus+ programme, and to offer further support in education and training through exchange and twinning programmes to make specifically young Ukrainians agents for change;

14. Encourages the EU and its Member States to improve the connectivity between the European Union and Ukraine, thus supporting the growth and integration between the EU and Ukraine, as well as the pace of the reconstruction process;

15. Commits itself to working towards a European future for Ukraine in close cooperation with Ukrainian civil society and pro-European movements, particularly youth, especially with JEF Ukraine.