Alona Lebedieva: The EU must be not only a symbol of peace, but a tool for action

KYIV, UKRAINE, April 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A recent joint online meeting between Members of the European Parliament and Ukrainian lawmakers focused on Ukraine’s preparation for accession to the European Union. The participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to Ukraine’s European future, emphasized the importance of resilience, democracy, and deepening inter-parliamentary cooperation. President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola stated: “Ukraine has proven it is ready for accelerated accession talks, and our parliament must act with even greater determination.”

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the EU for its support since the beginning of the full-scale invasion and reaffirmed Ukraine’s unwavering commitment to reforms. The participants discussed key challenges — post-war recovery, sanctions policy, energy security, and accountability for war crimes. Calls were made to strengthen support for Ukraine, particularly through the use of frozen Russian assets. An agreement was reached to continue close dialogue and the exchange of experience.

However, as noted by Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian multi-sector industrial and investment group Aurum Group, in the current geopolitical reality, declarations and statements alone are no longer enough:

“Europe has reached a point where a cautious policy of consensus no longer meets the challenges of the time. The world is not changing gradually, but in leaps. And while the United States, under newly elected President Donald Trump, is shifting toward aggressive political tactics, launching initiatives and pressuring partners — the EU continues to act too cautiously. This does not just threaten a loss of influence. It threatens the loss of trust.”

Lebedieva emphasizes that the focus of European discussions is Ukraine’s post-war recovery. But this issue, she argues, needs to be shifted from the future into the present.

“The most urgent need is not for ‘someday’ strategies, but for decisive actions today. The decisions being made now will determine whether there is anything — or anyone — left to rebuild tomorrow. Frozen Russian assets, systematic military support, economic stability — all of this is critically important today, not in some hypothetically ‘convenient’ moment.”

According to Lebedieva, to remain a strategic player, the European Union must rethink its very decision-making model.

“Procedures that worked well in peacetime are now too slow to keep pace with change. Flexibility, speed, decisiveness — this is what is needed, not just in diplomatic vocabulary. Europe has a chance to prove that it is not only a continent of peace, but a continent of responsibility. One that is capable of defending its values when it truly matters,” she stresses.

Alona Lebedieva
Aurum Group
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