FM Kuleba urges EU not to wait on United States to make decisions

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with Politico in Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Europe provides a lot of support and has the capacity to continue providing it. But this psychological kind of dependence on the position of the United States is also an element of the game,” Kuleba said.

While support from the U.S. is a vital lifeline for Ukraine, Kuleba urged Europe not to underestimate itself, referencing the Continent’s tendency to “watch closely” what happens in the U.S. when making decisions.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy noted that losing momentum and failing to show unity across the EU in support of enlargement would have “devastating strategic consequences” for the bloc. It would tell the rest of the world that something is wrong within the EU, sending a message of division at a time when “consistency and sustainability” are needed, Kuleba explained.

“Russia and other actors are watching this process closely because they need a weak European Union. So they are interested in slowdowns, in delays, in the demonstration of inability to make historic decisions,” Kuleba noted.

The Ukrainian minister dismissed concerns of war fatigue, adding that there is no viable alternative for Ukraine, nor the EU, to fighting.

“The next country that Russia may attack will be a European country, it will not be somewhere else,” Kuleba emphasized.

Therefore, Europe has to be more self confident in its capacity to defend itself, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy concluded.