Kiev Declaration of Support for Ukraine

The participants of the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Kiev adopted a joint declaration committing to continue political, military, financial and security-related support for Ukraine, to increase pressure on Russia and to assist in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.

Serbia is the only participating country that did not sign the document. It accuses Russia of illegal, unprovoked and unjustified aggression and calls on it to immediately end the war and withdraw its troops and military equipment completely, unconditionally and in a verifiable manner from the entire territory of Ukraine.

The declaration was signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of Albania, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bulgaria, whose representative at the meeting is Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he had arrived in Kiev to present Belgrade’s position on all important issues.

“I am the only one who did not sign this declaration. Read the text, it will probably be provided to you soon, and then everything will become clearer to you. I do not need to explain more,” Vučić said.

Asked about Serbia’s position on sanctions against Russia, he said: “Everyone knows our position, and I know everyone else’s positions.”

Vučić expressed hope that Belgrade would welcome Zelensky in the foreseeable future. He stressed that the main topics of the meeting were European integration, strengthening economic stability and energy security.

Here is the full text of the declaration:

We, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of the Republic of Albania Bajram Begaj, the President of the Republic of Greece Konstantinos Tassoulas, the President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu, the President of Romania Nikusor Dan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia Bekim Sali, the Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Montenegro Filip Ivanović and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Velislava Petrova-Chamova, gathered in Kyiv on 15 July 2026 for the fifth Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in the presence of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, building on the results of our previous meetings in Athens, Tirana, Dubrovnik and Odessa, reaffirm the importance of the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit as an important framework for political dialogue, regional cooperation and common security.

Holding the meeting in Kyiv on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood has a deep symbolic meaning, as it affirms the continuity of more than a thousand years of Ukrainian statehood.

Recognizing that the security of Ukraine, the Black Sea region and South-Eastern Europe is interlinked, we adopt the following declaration:

1. We remain united in our conviction that there can be no lasting peace, security, stability and prosperity in Europe without a sovereign and independent Ukraine. We acknowledge the resilience, strength and courage of the Ukrainian people in their struggle for national identity, future and freedom against Russian aggression since 2014 and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine. These joint efforts are crucial for the future of Europe.

2. We reiterate our condemnation of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified armed aggression against Ukraine and call on Moscow to immediately end the war. This flagrant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, poses a serious threat to peace and stability in Europe. We strongly condemn any political, military, technical, financial or other support provided by third countries to the military efforts of the Russian Federation and demand that it be immediately terminated.

3. We strongly condemn the intensified and regular massive Russian attacks on Kyiv and other populated areas in Ukraine, carried out in clear violation of international law. We express our deepest condolences to all victims. The strikes against civilians and vital infrastructure constitute war crimes. We call on Russia to cease missile and drone attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities, which have already claimed numerous civilian lives and caused serious damage to critical infrastructure, including energy, water and sanitation facilities. These deliberate attempts to cause a humanitarian catastrophe are deepening the war and undermining ongoing peace efforts.

4. We emphasize that strengthening Ukraine’s air defence remains a priority, in particular by providing appropriate systems and interceptors capable of countering ballistic missiles. We support the mobilisation of the necessary financial resources and international mechanisms for this purpose, recognising that stronger air defence saves civilian lives and protects critical infrastructure.

5. We reaffirm our unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, including its territorial waters. These universal principles are the foundation of peace, security, stability and prosperity in Europe. We underline our policy of non-recognition of any attempt to illegally change these borders and reaffirm Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The complete, unconditional and verifiable withdrawal of Russian troops and military equipment from all territory of Ukraine remains an indispensable condition for achieving lasting peace. No decision on Ukraine can be taken without Ukraine’s participation.

6. We remain united in our solidarity with Ukraine and, together with our partners, are determined to work towards the restoration of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on international law. We welcome Ukraine’s unwavering commitment to peace and President Zelensky’s call for negotiations to end the war. We appreciate the efforts of our partners and allies to end the conflict. We call on Russia to reciprocate by agreeing to a full and comprehensive ceasefire.

7. We recognize the important role of the Coalition of the Willing as an effective mechanism to support Ukraine, including by providing credible and legally binding security guarantees. We stand ready to strengthen our engagement in its work.

8. We welcome the recent opening of two negotiation clusters with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and support the opening of the remaining clusters as soon as possible in line with the principle of progress on merit. We note positively the progress made by the South-East European partners on the path to membership. We recognise that these achievements are mutually reinforcing and create new momentum for EU enlargement. The future membership of the Western Balkan partners, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in the European Union represents a strategic investment in the long-term stability, security and prosperity of Europe. Building on our mutual support for the accession process on the merits of each country, we reaffirm our determination to strengthen our joint efforts for the continued and sustainable progress of all candidates on their individual paths towards EU membership. In order to build on the new momentum for enlargement, partners remain committed to pursuing targeted reforms and resolutely implementing the membership criteria, including full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

9. Ukraine’s security is our security. Ukraine contributes to transatlantic security, and we remain united in our unwavering support for the protection of its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as stated in the NATO Ankara Summit Declaration. We reaffirm our support for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations on its irreversible path to future NATO membership, when Allies agree and the necessary conditions are met. We also support Ukraine’s sovereign right to choose its own security arrangements and determine its own future. We recognize that Ukraine’s defence capabilities strengthen Euro-Atlantic security, and we stress the importance of expanding defence cooperation in support of the country’s long-term security and resilience.

10. We strongly condemn all violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed in the context of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. We call for the immediate return of all illegally deported and forcibly relocated Ukrainian citizens, especially Ukrainian children, and for the release of all illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war.

11. We reaffirm that the crime of aggression cannot go unpunished. We support international efforts to hold accountable the crimes committed against Ukraine, including through the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. We welcome the States that have already acceded to the expanded partial agreement establishing the Steering Committee of the Special Tribunal. We express our intention to the remaining participants to consider in due course the possibility of acceding to the agreement and contributing to this important effort.

12. We call for further strengthening of the sanctions pressure against the Russian Federation and its military economy, for effective implementation of restrictions, for countering the Russian “shadow fleet” and for closer international cooperation against sanctions evasion, cyber threats and other hybrid activities that undermine European security.

13. We strongly condemn the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and reaffirm our commitment to strengthening regional energy security through closer cooperation, diversification of supply routes, expansion of interconnections, and support for the restoration and modernization of the Ukrainian energy system, including through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. We encourage partners to build on Ukraine’s unique experience in strengthening energy resilience in wartime.

14. We underline the strategic importance of the Black Sea region for European and global security. Russian aggression against Ukraine, violations of freedom of navigation, including attacks on merchant ships and civilian ports, cyberattacks, information manipulation and foreign interference, strikes on critical infrastructure, drone incursions, violations of sovereign airspace and attempts to undermine democratic institutions have become common challenges for the region. We commit to strengthening air and maritime security, counter-drone capabilities, regional connectivity, protection of critical infrastructure, freedom and safety of navigation, energy sustainability and coordinated responses to hybrid threats in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

15. We strongly condemn the illegal occupation and militarization of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant by Russia, which continues to undermine nuclear safety and violate the International Atomic Energy Agency’s seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security, as well as the five principles for ensuring the safety and security of the plant. We reiterate our demand that Russia immediately withdraw all military and other unauthorized personnel from the facility and return it to Ukrainian control.

16. We strongly condemn the systematic use of dangerous chemical substances by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. We reaffirm that full accountability for these actions remains a priority. We support efforts within the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate incidents involving dangerous chemical substances and to establish accountability for their use.

17. We reaffirm our readiness to contribute actively to the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, humanitarian demining, environmental rehabilitation and the renewal of affected communities in close cooperation with international financial institutions, international organizations and the private sector. We recognize the important contribution that Ukrainian veterans will make to the long-term recovery and development of the country.

18. We recognize that Russia’s aggressive war is accompanied by systematic hybrid actions directed against Ukraine and the countries of South-Eastern Europe. We commit to strengthening cooperation in countering cyber threats, foreign manipulation of information and interference, disinformation campaigns and other malicious activities aimed at undermining democratic institutions, public trust, regional stability and European integration.

19. We recognize that the path to EU membership creates new opportunities for practical cooperation. We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the rule of law, human rights, democratic governance, regional cooperation, resilience, connectivity and energy diversification in order to address existing challenges and contribute to lasting peace, stability and prosperity in our region and across Europe.

20. We agree to continue regular political dialogue and coordination at all levels with a view to further strengthening regional cooperation. We reaffirm that a secure, free, peaceful and prosperous Europe is not possible without a secure, free, peaceful and prosperous Ukraine, and we remain committed to supporting it.

21. We agreed to hold the next summit in the Republic of Slovenia in 2027.

Photo Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria