Declaration in support of Ukraine adopted at summit in Athens

The leaders of 11 countries of South-Eastern Europe signed the Athens Declaration in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine during the summit in the Balkans.

This follows from a statement by CNN Greece, the European Pravda online media outlet reports.

According to the declaration, the countries expressed their unwavering support for "Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, based on the values of democracy and the rule of law, in the face of Russian aggression."

The declaration also states that beyond the borders of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova, which are geographically adjacent to EU member states, share a common European heritage, and "as a strategic investment in peace, security, and stability in Europe, it is important that these regions are accepted as full members of the European family."

The document was signed by: President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, President of Moldova Maia Sandu; President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy; President of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic; Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis; Prime Minister of Romania Marcel Ciolacu, Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovacevski, Prime Minister of Bulgaria Nikolai Denkov, Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic in the presence of the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

"The invasion of Ukraine by the rf is a key moment for Europe, which creates a new level of awareness of common principles, unity, and a common future within the framework of the EU. This is a critical moment for our European continent's security, peace, and stability," the declaration reads.

The document also emphasizes that "the laws and principles that have contributed to a stable and predictable European security order for so long have been violated, and we have once again witnessed the manifestation of the destructive consequences of revisionism."

"We agreed that there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as attacks on civilians and destruction of infrastructure, and that all those responsible must be held accountable," the declaration said.

"We underlined the importance of setting ourselves a target for the completion of the vision of an EU enriched with the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova. We underlined the need for a re-energized and re-focused enlargement process that is tangible and credible, without shortcuts to the set conditions. We expressed our commitment to support Ukraine and Moldova to take the next steps in their accession process as soon as they have completed the necessary reforms," the document emphasizes.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, Zelenskyy said that Greece will take part in training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.