EU not weary over Ukraine support, Russia warned
Russia has been warned not to count on “weariness” in Europe over support for Ukraine, as European Union (EU) foreign ministers meet in Kyiv.
It is the first time the assembly has been held outside the bloc. Ukraine is not an EU member but wants to join.
The meeting comes a day after further military funding for Ukraine was left out of a last-minute US budget deal.
EU policy chief, Josep Borrell, has described the ongoing war in Ukraine as an “existential crisis”.
“Maybe it’s not being seen like this for everybody around the world, but for us, Europeans, allow me to repeat it: it’s an existential threat,” Mr Borrell told the gathering on Monday.
“And that’s why we have to continue supporting you and discussing with our American allies and friends for them to continue supporting you.”
The EU has already announced more than $70bn (£60bn) of military and civilian assistance for Ukraine, which is set to arrive over the next few years.
Mr Borrell has said that “sustainable and predictable” is what the bloc is striving for with its military support, and is keen to highlight the fact that support and sanctions continue to be voted through by member states.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna, described Monday’s gathering as a “demonstration of our resolute and lasting support for Ukraine, until it can win”.
“It is also a message to Russia that it should not count on our weariness. We will be there for a long time to come.”
The US budget deal, which is a temporary measure, did not include $6bn (£4.92bn) in military aid for Kyiv.
But President Joe Biden, who has already approved some $46bn (£37bn) in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year, said Kyiv could “count on” US support.
The Kremlin says it believed conflict fatigue would grow in both Europe and the US but that Washington would continue to be directly involved in the conflict.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said on Monday that he thought it had been an “incident” rather than an example of waning support.
Hardline Republicans in the US oppose further military aid for Ukraine, with many openly opposing President Joe Biden’s approach to the war.
“We are now working with both sides of Congress to make sure that it does not (get) repeated again under any circumstances,” said Mr Kuleba. —BBC
