The presidents of the European Commission and the United States, Ursula von der Leyen and Joe Biden, issued a joint statement calling on Russia to stop the war it is waging against Ukraine and assuring support for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The text of the joint statement was released Thursday in Brussels.
"We are united in our condemnation of Russia's unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who are courageously defending their homeland, and call on Russia to stop its brutal attack on its neighbor. We are united in our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and in our determination to defend our common values, including democracy, respect for human rights, global peace and stability, and a rules-based international order," the statement said.
The presidents stated that today the EU and the U.S. continue "a coordinated transatlantic effort to support the Ukrainian people, impose serious costs on Russia for its unjustified actions and strengthen the resilience of our democracies, economies and societies.
The U.S. and EU have strengthened and aligned their sanctions regimes with like-minded partners around the world.
"In addition, efforts to coordinate responses to sanctions evasion should be intensified," the presidents believe.
The U.S. and the EU also continue "to mobilize and coordinate significant humanitarian assistance to support people in Ukraine, those who have been forced to flee, and those affected by the severe consequences of the Russian war around the world, which includes more than $1 billion in humanitarian aid that the United States is willing to provide and EUR550 million from the EU."
"The United States and the European Union are coordinating closely to ensure that their temporary protection and humanitarian tolerance efforts, including resettlement or relocation, complement each other and provide much-needed support to Ukraine's neighbors," the statement said.
In addition, the presidents announced "new actions to strengthen democratic sustainability and protect human rights in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
