The new president of the European Council, Antonio Costaand the also recently elected High Representative for EU Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallasbegan their respective mandates this Sunday with a visit to kyiv to reaffirm that military and financial support for Ukraine will continue to be a priority for European institutions.
The new Commissioner for Enlargement was also part of this European mission, Marta Koswhose presence in the delegation sends a signal of support from Brussels for Ukraine’s integration aspirations.
“Our presence here today,” declared Costa after meeting with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky“demonstrates the EU’s strong support for the Ukrainian people and their courageous struggle for a just and lasting peace.”
Costa claimed the role of the EU in offering help ukraineand recalled the investments that the Twenty-Seven plan to allocate to continue offering support to the country invaded by Russia also in 2025.
“This month, the EU will supply Ukraine 4.2 billion additional euros to support Ukraine’s budget,” said Costa, adding that the Twenty-Seven plan to allocate 1.5 billion monthly to help kyiv throughout 2025.
The Portuguese politician explained that these sums – which kyiv may also use for military expenses – will be financed with the dividends generated by the frozen russian assets in EU countries.
According to President Zelensky, at least one billion of the second batch financed with the interests of Russian assets blocked in Europe will be used to finance Ukraine’s own arms production.
Zelensky also met separately with the new head of EU Foreign Policy, with whom he discussed joint efforts to provide Ukraine with more anti-aircraft systems to protect their population and infrastructure from Russian air attacks.
“Russia tries to defeat Europe”
Costa and Zelensky also addressed current European and international issues in their meeting.
“We see how Russia is trying to defeat Europe not only in Ukraine, but also in Georgia and Moldova“Zelensky said. “Russia uses different methods for each country, but the goal is the same, and it is an anti-european objective“he added in reference to the Russian interference that pro-European forces have denounced in the two aforementioned countries.
Asked about the conditions under which he would accept sign peace with RussiaZelensky insisted that a ceasefire without a Ukraine strong enough and capable of defending itself would lead to a new attack by Russia in the short or medium term.
Zelensky also insisted on the importance for Ukraine of receiving a firm invitation to enter NATO.
Progress towards integration
Both Zelensky and Costa also explained that Ukraine and the EU plan to open at least two chapters of the accession negotiations during the first half of 2025.
“Gradual integration has already begun in different political areas,” said Costa, who gave as an example the elimination of the roaming on mobile phones and announced that a series of goods and products could begin to cross the borders between Ukraine and the EU during the next year “as if Ukraine were already in the single market“.
Regarding the reform process that Brussels demands from kyiv to continue advancing on the path to integration, Costa highlighted the Ukrainian “progress” and the fact that they are achieving it “while waging a war for their survival as a nation.”
The new enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, spoke in the same vein, and in one of the messages published on the social network
#António #Costa #Kaja #Kallas #European #mandates #guaranteeing #support #Ukraine
