The EU will double with another 500 million the funds to give arms to Ukraine

Doubling military support for Ukraine, while at the same time receding the possibility of a rapid accession of the country to the European Union. European leaders are discussing this Friday morning in Versailles an increase of 500 million euros more in the community budget to deliver more weapons to Ukraine. This was announced by the high representative of foreign policy of the EU, Joseph Borrellon his arrival at the majestic French palace, where the leaders are also discussing measures to free themselves from Russian energy dependency and ruled out an integration “without deadlines” of the invaded country in the community club.

“I have proposed this to the leaders and the European Peace Facility will double its support until €1 billion“, said Borrell. The decision will have to be made this Friday by the heads of State and Government of the EU, explained the high representative, who has been “convinced” that they will give the go-ahead. “Everyone is fully aware that we need to increase our military support to Ukraine and add pressure on Russia,” he added.

“immediate” help

Asked when this help could arrive, he assured that it will be “immediate because now everything flows very quickly.” Borrell’s initiative comes two weeks after the EU agreed for the first time to allocate 500 million euros from the European budget to finance the shipment of lethal and non-lethal weapons to a country, a decision that the foreign ministers adopted three days after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The head of European diplomacy also explained that the heads of State and Government discussed the possibility of increase sanctions against the oligarchs and against the Russian economy, although it is not expected that a new package of restrictive measures will come out of the summit. Since the attack on Ukraine began on February 24, the EU has already approved four packages of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, which supports the Kremlin in the invasion.

Among them, the funds that the central banks of both countries have in the EU have been frozen, seven Russian and three Belarusian entities have been removed from the interbank communication system SWIFT and has sanctioned a total of 862 individuals and 53 companies, including the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine’s rapid accession to the EU ruled out

In the final declaration of the meeting, published this Friday morning, the leaders of the 27 emphasize that “Ukraine is part of our European family”. But they exclude the adoption of any special mechanism to quickly integrate the invaded country into the community club, as the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, had requested.

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The position of the 27 regarding an accession “without deadlines” of Ukraine in the EU was one of the aspects that danced in the final declaration of this informal summit, which has gained relevance after the outbreak of the war in the east of the continent. After a dinner of the heads of state that lasted until late at night, few changes were finally made in this regard with respect to the draft. And the position of the Western countries, such as France or the Netherlands, prevailed in the face of pressure from other Eastern governments.

“We will not abandon the Ukrainians. The EU and the Member States will continue to contribute political, financial, material and humanitarian support. We are ready to provide support for the reconstruction of a democratic Ukraine, once the Russian offensive has ceased”, affirm the leaders in the statement. Regarding the country’s accession to the EU, however, they specify that “the Council promptly asked the Commission to give its opinion on his candidature, in accordance with the relevant provisions in the treaties“. That is, without establishing a special mechanism.