Militarily, financially, economically and politically: EU guarantees support for Ukraine – statements by European leaders

The European Union is ready to support Ukraine in the military, financial, economic and political spheres. This was stated by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, FREEDOM informs.

Borrell visited the training ground of the EU Mission for Military Assistance to Ukraine in Poland. Now Ukrainian servicemen are being trained there.

“They showed, proved that in real combat they are one of the best armies in the world. They resisted Russian aggression in a way no one could have expected. This EU military assistance to Ukraine is a very tangible proof and illustration of the common European will to support Ukraine: militarily, financially, economically, and politically. Our support is evolving and will continue to evolve,” Borrell said.

The EU is also ready to help Ukrainian and international law enforcement agencies investigate war crimes committed by the Russian army during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“We provide support to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, in the collection of evidence, in training for investigators. We do this through our offices, the EU Advisory Mission to Ukraine, Eurojust and the Advisory Group on Serious Crimes (ACA). The EU considers it important that all those involved in this crime be held accountable and that they be brought to justice,” said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The European Commission has already proposed a plan to confiscate frozen Russian assets to compensate for the damage caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, this damage has already reached 600 billion euros. And, according to her, Russia should cover these costs. To this end, the European Union has frozen 300 billion euros of the reserve of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and 19 billion euros belonging to Russian oligarchs.

“We could create a structure with our partners to manage and invest these funds in the short term. Then we would use the proceeds for Ukraine, and after sanctions are lifted, these funds should be used in order for Russia to pay full compensation for the damage caused to Ukraine. We will work on an international agreement with our partners to make this possible. And together we can find legal ways to do so. The terrible crimes of Russia will not go unpunished,” said Ursula von der Leyen.

This week, a delegation of the Committee for Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on Security and Defense of the European Parliament visited Kyiv. Together with the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, they discussed the main initiatives proposed by Kyiv. In particular, the Kyiv Security Treaty and the peace initiatives of President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“It’s great that at a time when the war has such great consequences for Ukraine, she is ready to explain her formula for peace and how she will use it in reality after the war. Nobody can say that Ukraine does not want peace. We fully understand that Ukraine is fighting not only for its independence and sovereignty – it is also fighting for our security and our values,” said Nathalie Loizeau, chairperson of the subcommittee on security and defense of the European Parliament, during a meeting at the OPU.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament Urmas Paet called the attacks against the critical infrastructure of Ukraine by Russia absolutely inhumane.

“These are challenges for all of us, for the European Union. And all states should be responsible to provide Ukraine with all the necessary assistance, because it goes without saying that the only solution to this issue is when Ukraine is free again and restores its borders,” he stressed.

Urmas Paet also expressed the opinion that the EU countries will very quickly take the next steps on Ukraine’s application for membership in the European Union.

Read also: Ukraine counting on further strong support from European Parliament, in particular in providing security guarantees to our country – Andriy Yermak at meeting with MEPs