“We should invest in our own security, but in the future, we should discuss with Russia a new security architecture of Europe, since we cannot change geography and Russia will remain our neighbor, but we want and desire that Russia is a peaceful neighbor,” said Antonio Costa, President of the European Council in a speech delivered at the Paris School of International Affairs.

According to Costa, Europe tried to keep good relations with Russia for a long time.

“For years, France and Germany led the so-called Minsk process. And even after the invasion of Georgia in 2008, after the invasion of Crimea in 2014, Europe tried to continue to engage in diplomacy with Russia. Finally, in 2022, we understood that Russia does not want to engage in cooperation with Europe.

Russia does not want to respect international law, and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine had a very clear goal – to occupy Ukraine entirely, to change the government in Kyiv and to threaten European security. This is the reality. It was not Europe who chose it. But we cannot be naive any more. We cannot depend on Russian gas, and we need to defend ourselves from the Russian threat. This is existential for our security,” he said.

Costa went on to say that Europe cannot rely on others and should invest in its own security, but in the future, it should discuss with Russia a new security architecture of Europe.

“We should discuss with Russia a new security architecture of Europe, since we cannot change geography and Russia will remain our neighbor, but we want and desire that Russia is a peaceful neighbor,” he said.