The Weimar Triangle leaders’ statement
On 17 February 2023, the President of the French Republic, the President of the Republic of Poland and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany met in Munich. They reaffirmed their condemnation, in the strongest possible terms, of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the international order based on the UN Charter.
One year after the launch of Russia’s full scale brutal war, the leaders of the Weimar Triangle express their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and their unconditional support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self–defence against the Russian aggression. The Weimar Triangle countries will continue to stand firmly with Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes. They urge Russia to unconditionally cease hostilities and withdraw its forces from the whole territory of Ukraine.
The three leaders reaffirm their commitment to coordinating efforts to meet Ukraine's pressing military and defence equipment needs. France, Poland and Germany are fully supporting Ukraine in exercising its right to defend itself against Russia’s invasion, including by providing military and defence assistance, and will do so for as long as it takes, also under the European Peace Facility and through the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM).
We are committed to implementing the new baseline for NATO’s deterrence and defense posture and to enhancing Allied military presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. France, Germany and Poland reiterate that NATO and its Article 5 commitment to defend each other stand as the backbone of Euro–Atlantic security.
In this regard, the three leaders express their shared commitment to continue the swift implementation of decisions taken at the Versailles Summit and in the Strategic Compass, in particular the strengthening of the European defence technological and industrial base, as well as the growing complementarity between the European defence and NATO.
France, Poland and Germany support Ukraine's reconstruction efforts, including the recovery of infrastructure destroyed by Russia’s aggression as well as ongoing international coordination efforts for Ukraine’s economic reconstruction and recovery.
The three leaders remain committed to maintaining and considering further sanctions on Russia to constrain its war effort, and to further increasing, in consultation with international partners, collective pressure on Moscow to get Russia to end its war of aggression and to fully withdraw its troops and military equipment from Ukraine.
France, Poland and Germany condemn Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure as well as the forced deportations of Ukrainian civilians, and reiterate that there must be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities. In this regard, they fully support the investigations conducted by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court as well as the Ukrainian jurisdictions. They welcome the international community’s efforts to consider the establishment of an appropriate mechanism for the prosecution of the crime of aggression as well as the creation, in The Hague, of an international centre for the prosecution of the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
The three leaders welcome yesterday’s resolution “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, adopted with overwhelming support of the international community at the Emergency Special Session (ESS) of the UN General Assembly.
They reiterate their support to Ukraine’s 10–point peace plan as a basis for further discussion and to the idea of a Peace Formula Summit with the widest possible international participation.
The three leaders agreed that the future of Ukraine lies in Europe. They took note of Kyiv’s Euro–Atlantic aspirations and they reaffirmed the importance of solidarity with Ukraine. France, Poland and Germany welcome the decision of the European Council in 2022 to grant Ukraine the status of EU candidate country as well as Ukraine’s reform efforts in such difficult times. They strongly encourage the country to continue on this path
The Weimar Triangle will stand with Ukraine and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. This includes our readiness to continue welcoming and supporting those who had to seek refuge from the Russian aggression.
The three leaders agreed to intensify their co–ordination and reconvene at a summit in Paris before summer 2023.