Ukraine’s EU accession would serve as a deterrent to future Russian attacks once a peace deal is reached, the president of the European Parliament told Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“We see EU membership as a form of security guarantee,” Roberta Metsola said on Wednesday during a visit to Kyiv, standing alongside the Ukrainian president. “[Accession] is a commitment to be part of a group of states that are not only an economic power but also a security power.”

The EU has in the last year stepped up efforts to boost defense spending and coordinate security efforts among its member countries, contributing to the military “preparedness” of the continent, Metsola argued.

Work on security guarantees for Ukraine accelerated after a gathering of European leaders at the White House in August. But EU governments have yet to nail down what those could look like — and the extent of U.S. involvement.

Zelenskyy said the best security guarantee is a “strong” Ukrainian army, backed by allies’ funding contributions, and thanked Metsola for the Parliament’s staunch support for Ukraine’s EU accession.

Ukraine’s EU membership bid received an initial green light from EU leaders in 2023. But its progress is currently being blocked by Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has made opposing Kyiv’s entry into the bloc a key pillar of his own bid for reelection next year.

Zelenskyy also called on lawmakers to support further sanctions against Russia and criticized Hungary and Slovakia for being “dependent” on Russia’s energy exports. 

EU governments are negotiating tougher sanctions against Moscow — and potentially Beijing—  after U.S. President Donald Trump asked the bloc to quit energy imports from Russia.