Vladimir Putin gave himself and his troops just a few days when he launched his illegal full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A few days in which he wanted to establish a corridor to Kyiv, take control of the Ukrainian capital, and install a pro-Russian puppet regime. A few days in which he wanted to bring down the entire European security architecture in one fell swoop.

A few days turned into four years.

Four years in which Moscow has neither succeeded in gaining significant territory nor in ultimately capturing major cities. Indeed, the opposite has occurred. The Russian army's losses are enormous. Its successes are few. Every day, hundreds of Russian soldiers pay for Putin’s superpower fantasies with their lives. From Russia's perspective, the meager result is that in 2025 Russian troops were only able to occupy an additional one percent of Ukrainian territory. Comparisons with past Russian wars illustrate how high these losses are in relative terms: they are 10 times higher than in the Chechen Wars and 20 times higher than in the Soviet-Afghan War.

It is safe to say that Putin’s plan has not worked. In fact, it has failed spectacularly.

What he had not anticipated was the resilience of the Ukrainian people. The heroism of their soldiers. The national consciousness of an entire country. And the solidarity of the West, which stands firmly with Ukraine.

Instead of dividing NATO, NATO is united as never before. NATO is even stronger than before. In Finland and Sweden, we have two new allies– in Sweden’s case after 200 years of neutrality.

Putin’s strategy against this resistance is clear: he is counting on attrition.

It has been clear since even before this winter that Putin wants to bomb Ukraine into a blackout. His attacks primarily target the country’s civilian energy infrastructure. Hospitals, schools, apartment buildings and entire neighbourhoods are without electricity, without heating, without water. We are talking about up to half a million people – in Kyiv alone.

These attacks on the civilian population violate international law. They are war crimes. The people of Ukraine are supposed to bow to terror. This is Putin’s cynical game with the cold.

But we Europeans will not allow the rules of the game to be dictated to us.

Because we are also Ukraine.

The Kremlin leaves no doubt about what it is ultimately seeking – namely, a confrontation with the West. The Kremlin wants an illiberal world of autocracies against the West. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is part of a larger attack on the rules-based international order.

That is what this brutal war of conquest is about. And that is why our coordinated support continues.

That is why we are supporting Ukraine with additional air defence.

That is why we are providing assistance for the protection of the energy infrastructure and repairs to energy facilities, not only for this winter, but also in preparation for the next.

That is why the European Parliament has approved a 90-billion-euro aid package.

That is why we support Ukraine's accession to the EU. That is why we are calling for a special tribunal to bring war criminals to justice.

And that is why we are taking in Ukrainian refugees.

Because one thing must be clear to Putin.

He is in the process of losing Ukraine strategically. He has underestimated the resilience of both the Ukrainian people and Europe. Ukraine will not abandon the path of European reforms that it has embarked upon. Ukraine is already more closely linked to the West institutionally than ever before. We Europeans have a clear goal in mind: we must achieve a peace that is lasting and just.

Ukraine will only be able to achieve this peace from a position of strength. That is why our support will remain unwavering. That is why billions in Russian assets remain frozen. And that is why we will continue to increase the pressure on Russia.

After four years of war, it is not only Ukraine that is a different country. Europe, too, is different to before. It is a stronger, a more resilient Europe. A Europe that knows the value of freedom. And is prepared to protect it.