A delegation of E.U. Foreign Ministers visit to Kyiv, offering an image of cohesion and reiterating their support for the country
The European Union (E.U.) has rubbished the reports on whether it will continue to support Ukraine in the long run in its war against the Russian forces after the United States (U.S.) Congress denied a support package to Ukraine at the last minute in its budget deal.
A delegation of E.U. Foreign Ministers made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, offering an image of cohesion and reiterating their support for the country’s struggle against Russia’s invasion.
Taking it to X (formerly Twitter), the High Representative of the E.U. for Foreign Affairs – Josep Borrell Fontelles, tweeted,
We are convening a historic meeting of EU Foreign Ministers here in Ukraine, candidate country and future member of the EU.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 2, 2023
We are here to express our solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people.https://t.co/zcv6agCcIy
He further tweeted,
Today, we discussed the overarching support to Ukraine:
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 2, 2023
– from security perspective
– on the military side
– on EU accession and reform process
– on accountability
– the peace formula
The EU’s commitment is clear & our support continues in all dimensions.https://t.co/mjxiqmdWVV
It is for the first time that E.U. Ministers are meeting in a candidate country which is at war. Borrell described the gathering as “historic” but made clear there would be no new concrete announcements.
The President of Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told the E.U. delegates the duration of the war, now in its 20th month, is linked to the quality and quantity of support Ukraine receives from its allies. To bring about a speedy end to fighting, he urged the E.U. to expand sanctions on Russia and Iran, which has supplied attack drones to Russia. He also called for the “acceleration” of work to direct “frozen Russian assets to finance the restoration of war-torn Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy said in a statement, “Our victory directly depends on our cooperation: the more strong and principled steps we take together, the sooner this war will end.”
The E.U. has already announced more than € 70 billion (£ 60 billion) of military and civilian assistance for Ukraine, which is set to arrive over the next few years. The meeting comes amidst growing concerns that Western support for assistance to Ukraine is becoming more fractured. In the U.S., right-wing conservatives have become increasingly vocal in their attacks on U.S. support.
The U.S. budget deal, which is a temporary measure, did not include U.S. $ 6 billion (£ 4.92 billion) in military aid for Ukraine. However, the President of the U.S. – Joe Biden, who has already approved some U.S. $ 46 billion (£ 37 billion) in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year, said Ukraine could count on U.S. support. Besides, the Prime Minister of Hungary – Viktor Orban, has also become more critical of Kyiv in recent months over the grain dispute.
