Seven EU members to provide EUR 15B in aid to Ukraine – European Council president
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels following the meeting, European Council President Antonio Costa emphasized that Ukraine itself remains the strongest guarantee of its own security, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
"Since February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian army has been resisting. A lot of people believed at that time that they would not be able to resist for more than three days, then more than three weeks -- now they are resisting for more than three years. We have stood with Ukraine from the start and will continue supporting it even after the war, as a future member of the European Union. We have also decided that we will explore our capabilities within the EU framework to contribute to security guarantees," Costa said.
He stressed that security guarantees for Ukraine were crucial not only for European but also for global security. He added that the war was not just about Ukraine but also about respect for international law, the rules-based global order, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and secure borders.
Costa also highlighted the UN General Assembly vote from the previous week, which, according to him, had demonstrated strong international support for Ukraine. He said that it was clear international law had to prevail and that the war needed to end in failure for the aggressor.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, also present at the press conference, announced that the EU is working on a new financial mechanism that will allow member states to jointly procure military capabilities, which can then be transferred to Ukraine. She cited Denmark’s initiative to develop defense production in Ukraine and the Czech-led effort to supply ammunition as examples.
"There are already established procedures to do that. But, of course, with the backing now of EUR 150 billion, where a certain share should go as capabilities to Ukraine, this is also a big push forward to maintain the strength of this outstanding army," von der Leyen said.
Costa further confirmed that in addition to previously agreed-upon sums, seven EU member states pledged to allocate an extra EUR 15 billion in financial and military assistance to Ukraine.
On March 6, EU leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss strengthening European defense and increasing aid to Ukraine. The meeting took place amid concerns over the U.S. administration's moves to scale back its contributions to European security and military support for Ukraine.
