Europe must and can act to strengthen Ukraine's defense and enable it to obtain solid and lasting security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.

This is the meaning of the proposals put forward by the association For Ukraine for their freedom and ours! already supported by military experts, parliamentarians and political leaders from France and Europe and representatives of civil society.

These four concrete measures, which are feasible and can be implemented quickly, will be presented at a press conference.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at 11 AM at the Théâtre du Rond-Point and online.

With the participation of:

• General (2S) Vincent Desportes, former director of the War College, Major General of the Army

• Xavier Tytelman , defense advisor

• Konstantin Sigov , philosopher (live from Kyiv)

• Agnieszka Holland , filmmaker (Poland)

• Ariane Mnouchkine , founder of the Théâtre du Soleil

• Frédéric Petit , Member of Parliament (The Democrats)

• Julien Bayou , lawyer and former member of parliament

• Pierre Raiman , co-founder of For Ukraine, for their freedom and ours!

• Jacques Duplessy , President of the NGO Safe

Presented by Sylvie Rollet , President of For Ukraine, for their freedom and ours!

These 4 measures should be implemented as soon as possible by a coalition of willing European states, whose formation is called for by our European appeal (European Surge for Ukraine).

1. Create a humanitarian air defense zone over the western part of the territory by applying the "SkyShield Security Guarantee" proposal, designed by British and Ukrainian military experts, to the western part of Ukrainian territory (including the capital, the port of Odessa, three operating nuclear power plants, and the Chernobyl site). This would allow Russian cruise missiles to be intercepted by fighter jets from willing European states, operating from bases in neighboring countries (Poland and Romania). This air cover would prepare the ground forces for monitoring compliance with a ceasefire.

2. Increase deliveries of weapons and ammunition, particularly long-range air defense systems (Patriot and SAMP/T). A study conducted by experts for our association has established that, in order to ensure effective defense of the 10 main energy sites to be protected, its urban centers and its armed forces, Ukraine needs 25 long-range air defense batteries (it currently only has about 8).

   
   

3. Confiscate the 210 billion in frozen Russian public assets and launch a major European loan aimed at rearming Europe and arming Ukraine.

   
   

4. Demand that any agreement with Russia include the return of deported Ukrainian children and prisoners, both civilian and military, men and women, held in Russia and the occupied territories. Heads of state and government must publicly endorse this commitment.

While Russia is not only fighting Ukraine, but is already waging a hybrid war against us and threatening Europe, and with US support now suspended, European states must therefore collectively ensure their defense, increase their aid to Ukraine and guarantee that nothing is decided without it.

As demonstrated by the massive reactions of support for the Ukrainian people and their President Volodymyr Zelensky after his brutal aggression by the President and Vice President of the United States, when he recalled the need for security guarantees for Ukraine, European public opinion and civil society expect their leaders to make a concrete and rapid commitment that these provisions allow.