2023-12-12 03:14:00
Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy (Europa Press/Contact/Niyi Fote)
Josep Borrell warned the countries of the European Union (EU) this Monday that “now is not the time to weaken” military or financial support for Ukraine so that it continues to defend itself from the Russian invasion, but rather to “increase it” in the face of the blockade it maintains. Hungary to go further.
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“We have to provide operational military support, but we also have to work on predictable long-term financing and today at the meeting an overwhelming majority of ministers were very clear,” said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs at a press conference. at the end of a Council of Community Foreign Ministers, in which support for Ukraine was addressed.
The head of EU diplomacy made it clear that “this is not the time to weaken our support for Ukraine, on the contrary: it is time to increase and accelerate it.”
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The representatives of the Twenty-Seven also spoke with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba, about the situation in his country and its efforts to meet the requirements to open accession negotiations with the EU.
Hungary is reluctant to support new aid for Ukraine, whether for the delivery of weapons or ammunition or for longer-term financing for the country in the framework of the negotiations on the review of the EU’s multiannual budget. Furthermore, it has also not shown any inclination to give the green light to opening negotiations with Ukraine for its accession to the Union, as recommended by the European Commission.
Dmitro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister (REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)
Almost by chance, this Sunday the Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelensky crossed paths in Argentina with Viktor Orban, Hungarian prime minister and ally of Vladimir Putin, within the framework of the inauguration of Javier Milei as president of the South American country.
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To bolster support for kyiv at a time when Russia has stepped up its drone attacks, is reorganizing its troops and producing more military equipment, Borrell urged member states to “stay united” and strengthen the European defense industry to end to “help Ukraine boost” its own military industry.
Likewise, he urged agreement on the eighth disbursement to co-finance lethal and non-lethal material donated by Member States to Ukraine and which continues to block Budapest.
Borrell also said that he informed the ministers of the finalization of a community proposal on the income from Russian assets immobilized by European sanctions, which will be addressed tomorrow by the College of European Commissioners.
Likewise, he indicated that they have carried out a dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities about commitments to guarantee the country’s security in the future.
“The ministers stressed that our future security and stability depends critically on how Ukraine defends itself,” he noted.
Ukraine asks the West to continue collaborating militarily to confront the Russian invasion (REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi)
Borrell recalled that European leaders are called to make “important decisions this week” on accession negotiations with Ukraine, which has carried out “important reforms.”
“Ukrainians are fighting on the battlefield. And Ukrainians are working hard to continue making reforms and continue along the European path,” she added.
For his part, this Monday Zelensky reaffirmed in Washington his country’s need to receive more funds to defend itself from Russia, alleging that the Putin regime will not be content with just a part of Ukraine’s territory. “Ukraine has not given up and will not give up. We know what to do and you can count on Ukraine. We also hope to be able to count on you,” he said from the United States National Defense University on the eve of meeting at the White House with his American counterpart, Joe Biden.
“Ukraine is the starting point. Putin will not be content with one part of Ukraine. “He must lose,” Zelensky warned, making it clear to the soldiers present in the room that they all know what it means for a soldier to wait for ammunition “without knowing if any support will arrive.”
(With information from EFE)
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