EU’s von der Leyen: ‘It is our generational task to help Ukrainians’

It is the task of our generation to help Ukraine fight against Russia’s aggression, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told the Athens Democracy Forum on Thursday in what she portrayed as a battle between democracy and autocracy.

Speaking at Athens’ historic Stoa of Attalos just below the Acropolis, von der Leyen drew parallels between Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion and the Battle of Salamis, in 480 BC, when the Greeks defeated the invading Persian fleet in a narrow strait.

“For the first time in history autocracy attacked democracy and autocracy failed,” von der Leyen said. “Unlike their foes, the Greeks were fighting not for the greed of a single man, but for their own freedom. Today, once again, a democracy fights for its own survival against the aggression of a foreign autocracy,” she said.

“Russia’s attack against Ukraine is yet another battle in a war that has been raging for 25 centuries, the war of autocracy against democracy and I’m deeply convinced that democracy will prevail,” the head of the EU’s executive arm said.

“It is every generation’s task to fight for democracy. It is our generational task to help Ukrainians that they fight for their right to determine their future. It is our task to protect the democracies from Russian blackmail and from the interference of autocracy,” von der Leyen said.

Meanwhile, her scheduled business dinner between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday was postponed as she had to depart for Brussels. The two will meet in Sofia on Saturday.