Denys Shmyhal is the prime minister of Ukraine.
The EU is being subjected to aggression from Russia.
These words may come as a surprise, not least to the EU itself. After all, there are no tanks on the streets of European cities, they aren’t surrounded by trenches, and no air raid sirens are warning of approaching ballistic missiles or drones. Such is life here, in Ukraine.
Yet, I am convinced Russia has already unleashed a war against the EU.
This is a multidimensional war, the stages and methods of which the Kremlin has been honing in Ukraine over decades. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime has been looking for cracks in the European house, and when he finds them, he pours boiling water in them or tries to pry them open with a crowbar.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, Russia launched a new type of hybrid world war with its actions in Ukraine, using information, energy and food as military instruments. But it’s not only that.
When Russian ships destroy Internet cables at the bottom of the Baltic Sea near Finland with their anchors, it is also an act of Russian aggression. When cruise missiles enter the airspace of Poland or Romania, it is an act of Russian aggression. When drones circle over the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, it is an act of Russian aggression. Migration pressure on the borders of Lithuania and Poland, the demarcation of the border with Estonia, direct support for separatism and radical politics, cyber and information attacks — these all constitute acts of multidimensional Russian aggression against the EU and its member countries.
The goal is quite clear: Russia is trying to sow panic, cause chaos and make citizens doubt their own governments’ ability to protect them. This is literally the demolition of the existing order That is what Russia is trying to achieve — including with its support for radical political forces within the EU.
The bloc is no longer just standing on the threshold of new emerging security challenges. It is living them. But there is a country that’s not only faced various manifestations of Russia’s aggression and, most importantly, knows how to counter them.
This country is Ukraine. That is why Ukraine’s accession to the EU isn’t only a moral obligation but a strategic step that is, first and foremost, necessary for the bloc itself. A step that would strengthen its eastern flank militarily and increase its geopolitical weight globally.
The EU needs Ukraine to protect it.
I will be completely blunt. No one understands war better than Ukrainians do. Every day, we experience it, we die, we lose our loved ones, we count our losses. But we are also becoming stronger, growing more resourceful and more adaptable to the difficulties of living in war.
No other country in the European community has such modern military experience. It is Ukrainians who have done the impossible by building the infrastructure to produce drones — the “new artillery of the 21st century” — almost from scratch. While no more than 5,000 drones were produced in Ukraine in 2022, the end of 2024 saw more than 1 million FPV drones sent to the front line alone.
It is also Ukrainians who demonstrated how NATO standards are put into practice. Quite a unique achievement, considering Ukraine isn’t yet a member of the North Atlantic Alliance.
Of course, we appreciate the contributions from our allies, and — I did promise to be frank — Ukraine could hardly have held out against Russia for three years on its own. We have more willpower and desire to defend our country than resources to do so.
And this pairing of the EU’s financial capabilities with Ukraine’s military experience is the key to our further cooperation.
By joining the EU, Ukraine and its Armed Forces could become the backbone of a unified European army, which has been discussed on the continent for decades now. After all, as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated, the danger to European security, from Russia or from elsewhere, won’t stop once the war in Ukraine ends — and the EU must be prepared for that.
Ukraine’s battle-hardened military could become an alternative to the U.S. army, which currently has over 65,000 troops in the EU, its largest deployments stationed in Germany, Italy and Spain. In addition to its practical significance, this decision could strengthen relations with the U.S., as Washington increasingly questions the need for its military to be stationed overseas.
Therefore, by agreeing to Ukraine’s accession, EU countries wouldn’t just be expanding their own borders and boundaries. They would be gaining reliable defenders with extensive military experience, ready to be the first to take a hit not only from Russia, but from other possible military and political groups on Europe’s eastern borders.
We aren’t a country that’s come begging to join the EU for the sake of obtaining public funds, preferences or benefits. We’re a country that knows its worth and is honest with its allies. We’re a country that could become the foundation for the defense of all of Europe — we already are.
And consider these factors too:
Ukraine’s subsoil contains 22 out of the 30 minerals listed as critical for the EU. It ranks first in Europe in terms of uranium ore reserves, having the ability to meet its own energy needs as well as export uranium — especially as demand for nuclear power in Europe is on the rise.
Ukraine also has the largest lithium reserves in Europe, and its use in the world is only growing. While 460 thousand metric tons of lithium carbonate were consumed in 2021, global demand is projected to reach 6 million metric tons by 2030. We are ready to set up joint ventures in this area, which would undoubtedly lead to a strategic advantage for the EU.
Moreover, Ukraine is among the top 10 countries with proven titanium ore reserves, and only 10 percent of these proven reserves are currently being developed. We could replace Russian titanium on the European market, contributing to the development of both the EU’s civilian industry and advanced military technologies. Not to mention, unlike Russia’s partnership, which is rooted in blackmail and deception, we can be counted on.
The project of rebuilding Ukraine, which was launched as soon as we were attacked by Russia, could become a major factor in the growth of the entire European economy and the bloc’s consolidation. We are talking about hundreds of billions of dollars that European businesses could be involved in, as well as the creation of production and jobs both here and in the bloc’s countries. Anyone who sees their own prospects would want to take part in it.
The EU is our conscious choice, not a temporary whim. And we’re proving the sincerity of our intentions, arms in hand.