ISTANBUL

European ministers at the Munich Security Conference stressed on Saturday that peace in Ukraine and the wider region cannot be achieved without a European-led effort, warning against external pressures that do not consider the continent's strategic interests.

"There won’t be any lasting peace if it’s not a European-agreed peace," the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, underscoring Europe’s pivotal role in shaping security and stability in the region.

Baerbock went on to describe the current situation as "an existential moment," in which "Europe has to stand up" and show unity in the face of external threats.

"Our biggest enemy at the moment is Putin's Russia because he has declared war on our European peace and on our European democracy," she said.

According to her, Russia’s war in Ukraine is not just a threat to one country but to the entire continent and its alliances.

"Putin has made it very clear… this is not only a war on Ukraine. This is most of all a war on NATO, on the Europeans, on the Americans, and on the free world," she added.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot echoed the sentiment, saying, “Europe is the continent that has pushed back against a full-scale invasion by Russia.”

He added that the ongoing war has reinvigorated European unity, with countries recognizing the need to increase defense spending and ensure long-term security.

Meanwhile, Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski claimed that Russia remains an ongoing threat to Europe’s democracy and stability.

"In Poland, we do not doubt that the threat to Europe, to liberal democracy, to decency, comes from Putin’s Russia," he added.

He said his government has increased defense spending to 4.7% of GDP due to the urgency of the situation.

Sooner or later, Europe will be involved in Ukraine

Sikorski also warned that Europe is now paying the price for years of complacency regarding defense spending.

"So sooner or later, we’ll have to be involved (in Ukraine), but in a broader sense, this is a crisis, a crisis and a result of Europe having consumed peace dividends for too long in Poland."

He also pointed out past mistakes, emphasizing the need to avoid empty promises.

"Ukraine already has guarantees that have proven to be empty," Sikorski noted, cautioning against ineffective security commitments.

"There is nothing more dangerous in international relations than an empty guarantee," he added.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy reaffirmed his government's commitment to Ukraine, emphasizing the broader security implications for Europe.

"Putin will not go away. This is an existential question for Europe," he remarked.

Stressing the importance of long-term stability, Lammy highlighted, “Ukraine’s irreversible pathway towards NATO is the cheapest and best mechanism to secure peace.”

"If Ukraine were to fail, the costs would be considerably more," he added.

Baerbock also stressed that supporting Ukraine financially and militarily is crucial for European security.

"This is what we are standing for, and this is why we formed a security package, which has been unseen in the past."

He also emphasized that the war in Ukraine is interconnected with other global conflicts, including in the Middle East.

"If you’re not standing with Brussels, you are standing with Moscow," Baerbock warned, highlighting the broader geopolitical implications.

Another key aspect raised was the hybrid warfare strategies used by Russia to undermine European stability.

"This is a hybrid warfare," he said, referring to the interference seen in European elections and the influence operations that seek to destabilize democratic institutions across the continent.