Malta expresses full support for Ukraine's EU membership during council meeting in Lviv

Malta has expressed its full support for Ukraine’s EU membership and ongoing reform process during an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Lviv to mark Europe Day.

“We reaffirm our strong belief that Ukraine’s path towards EU membership represents one of the most enduring guarantees of its long-term security, prosperity and resilience, as well as European stability,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg said during the meeting.

The gathering brought together EU Foreign Ministers to express solidarity with Ukraine. The Ministers visited Lychakiv Cemetery’s Field of Mars, where they laid flowers and lit candles to honour Ukrainians who lost their lives in the past three years of war.

In a joint statement after the meeting, the EU, Ukraine, the United States and other international partners called on Russia for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. The aim is to reduce civilian suffering and support genuine efforts towards a just and lasting peace.

During the visit, Borg also took part in a ministerial meeting of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The 41 countries involved, including Malta, signed the Lviv Statement, pledging full support for the Tribunal and its mission to deliver justice.

“There can be no peace without justice, and no justice without accountability. Only when we hold individuals and systems accountable can we truly pave the way for a just and lasting peace. The voices of victims must remain at the centre of any accountability process. We want this Tribunal to deliver justice to all who have suffered the consequences of this aggression,” Borg said.

Earlier this year, legal experts from the Core Group completed the technical documents needed to set up the Tribunal, which will operate within the framework of the Council of Europe. Malta has pledged to support its launch and functioning during its 2025 Presidency of the Council, which begins this month.