Representative of the Foreign Diplomatic Service of the European Union, Peter Stano, reiterates that Ukraine has the legitimate right to conduct military operations on the territory of the aggressor country of Russia, and this in no way affects its status as a candidate for membership of the European Union.

This position was announced by the EU at a briefing in Brussels on Tuesday, answering a question from journalists.

“Ukraine is fighting a defensive war against a brutal aggressor. It's the third year running of this brutal war. So what we are seeing on the battlefield, be it in Ukraine or on the Russian territory, is just the result and consequence of Putin's illegal actions. Ukraine has every right to defend itself and this has nothing to do actually with the accession process with the EU,” he stated.

Stano once again said that “Ukraine is currently fighting off a brutal illegal aggression and is entitled to defend itself.”