The Party of European Socialists has reaffirmed its commitment to Ukraine and called for stronger, more integrated European defence capabilities to protect citizens, democratic values and the continent’s social model.
Giacomo Filibeck, secretary general of the Party of European Socialists, delivered the message during a defence roundtable at CamPuS 2026, the French Socialist Party’s annual gathering in Blois on 28–29 August.
The PES said:
“We must keep supporting Ukraine and ensure it has the strength to defend itself and achieve a just and lasting peace.
“At the same time, Europe needs more integrated and stronger defence capabilities to protect our citizens and our values.”
Filibeck stressed that a progressive approach to defence must extend beyond military equipment and expenditure.
The PES added:
“For social democrats, defence is about more than weapons. It is about human security, peace and protecting people’s lives and our social model.”
Ukraine, peace and European readiness
The intervention reflects a growing determination among European social democratic parties to combine credible defence policies with their longstanding commitment to diplomacy, international law, democracy and social justice.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed the security environment across Europe, forcing governments to reconsider the continent’s military readiness, defence industries and capacity to respond collectively to aggression.
The PES has consistently argued that Ukraine must be able to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and that any eventual peace settlement must be just, lasting and agreed with the Ukrainian people. Its latest statement makes clear that peace cannot be secured by leaving Ukraine vulnerable or allowing aggression to succeed.
The comments also underline the need for European countries to cooperate more closely, improve military readiness and strengthen their ability to act together when the continent’s security is threatened.
For progressives, however, stronger defence must not be achieved by abandoning the social protections and public services that provide people with security in their everyday lives. The concept of human security recognises that people must be protected not only from military attack but also from poverty, displacement, energy insecurity, cyberattacks and threats to democratic institutions.
Britain’s Kyiv commitments
That approach shares important principles with the Labour government’s policy of combining a firm commitment to national security with investment in British industry, skilled employment and stronger international partnerships. Prime Minister Andy Burnham made Kyiv the destination of his first overseas visit since entering Downing Street, travelling to Ukraine on its Independence Day to reiterate Britain’s unwavering support.
During the visit, Burnham met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and co-chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing alongside the leaders of France and Germany. The participating countries committed themselves to increasing military assistance, strengthening Ukraine’s air defences, expanding cooperation with its defence industry and applying further pressure to Russia’s military-industrial network.
Burnham also confirmed new cooperation intended to help establish local assembly lines in Ukraine for long-range missiles containing British components. The United Kingdom and Ukraine signed an artificial-intelligence partnership bringing together British researchers, universities and technology businesses with Ukraine’s battlefield experience and engineering expertise, as Labour Home reported from Independence Day.
These measures demonstrate how international solidarity can strengthen both Ukraine’s immediate defence and Europe’s longer-term technological and industrial capabilities. They also offer opportunities for responsible businesses, including innovative small and medium-sized firms, to contribute to national security through advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies.
A progressive case for security
CamPuS 2026 brought together politicians, researchers, trade unionists, entrepreneurs, artists, activists and members of civil society under the theme of choosing the world that the next generation will inherit. The defence roundtable placed security firmly within that wider progressive conversation.
European social democrats are making the case that defending democratic societies means protecting their territory, citizens, freedoms and institutions while preserving the public services and social solidarity that distinguish them from authoritarian alternatives.
The PES message is therefore both practical and principled: Europe must possess the strength to deter aggression, Ukraine must receive the support necessary to secure a just peace, and defence policy must ultimately serve the safety and wellbeing of people.
At a moment of profound international uncertainty, closer cooperation between Labour and its European sister parties will remain essential to building a continent that is secure, democratic and socially just.
