KYIV, Feb 24 – A peace agreement in Ukraine must respect Ukraine's borders and right to self-determination, and Europe must urgently step up efforts to ensure its own security, says a joint statement by the foreign ministers of eight Nordic countries (N8): Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway.

“The future of Ukraine is the future of Europe. European unity has been historic when it comes to sanctions and mobilising political support. But how can it be that eight small countries in northern Europe are leading in that support? In this existential moment, we are ready and willing to do more. But as the future of European security hangs in the balance, now is the time for the whole of Europe to step up. It’s about prioritizing the security of Ukraine and Europe,” says a joint statement published on the websites of the foreign policy departments on Monday.