Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation Maxime Prevot said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv on Tuesday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

Prevot noted that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Belgium had provided Ukraine with more than EUR 4.4 billion in military and civilian assistance, including EUR 1.1 billion in military aid this year alone.

Prevot said Belgium would continue to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia. He stressed that the path to peace could not involve exhausting Ukraine, and that peace must be just and lasting, with Ukraine able to defend its independence and the choice of its people. He added that this was a matter for all Europeans, as rewarding aggression, allowing borders to be changed by force and permitting international law to be violated without consequences would make Europe less safe for everyone.

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He added that supporting Ukraine was an investment in the security and stability of Europe as a whole.

According to Prevot, he will present new Belgian initiatives to support Ukraine during his visit.

He said that millions of additional euros would be allocated to support veterans, healthcare, vocational education and Ukrainian businesses, stressing that the economy needed to function in order to provide jobs and resources for Ukraine.

He also stressed that reconstruction could not wait until the day after peace was established and had to begin now.

Prevot said that Belgium did not want to dictate how Ukraine should develop, but wanted to support the future that Ukrainians chose for themselves.