RT.com
02 Oct 2023, 08:16 GMT+10
Brussels ?regrets? the US Congress decision not to include military aid for Kiev in its spending bill, the EU top diplomat says
The EU's military aid to Ukraine will not depend on the decisions taken by the US, the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, told journalists during his visit to Kiev on Sunday. Brussels plans to continue and further increase its military assistance to the Ukrainian forces, he added.
"We have not waited for the [US] decision to be taken to increase our propositions to support Ukraine," the official said when asked about the EU's reaction to the US Congress removing military aid for Kiev from its short-time spending bill passed over the weekend.
Brussels still regretted the American lawmakers' decision "deeply and thoroughly," Borrell said, expressing his hope that "this will not be a definitive decision, and Ukraine will continue having the support of the US."
The EU Commission had earlier proposed creating a fund for Ukraine worth €50 billion ($52.8 billion), the bloc's top diplomat said, adding that he also suggested creating a similar fund amounting to €20 billion ($21.13 billion) within the European Peace Facility at an EU foreign ministers meeting in August.
"Let's see what'll be happening in the US but from our side, we will continue supporting and increasing our support," the official said. The EU's top diplomat also maintained that the bloc's military aid for Kiev is "permanent structured" and does not depend on the decisions of other nations or the results of the Ukrainian operations.
His comments came amid the continued Ukrainian offensive, which has failed to bring about any major changes to the frontlines over some four months since its launch, despite massive Western military aid before its start and heavy Ukrainian losses over its course.
"We are facing an existential threat for Europe," Borrell claimed, adding that if Brussels wants the Ukrainian troops to be "more successful, we have to provide them with better arms and quicker."
He still hinted that Kiev should be more grateful for the bloc's efforts. In some cases, "our support is not being perceived as important as it is," the EU top diplomat said, insisting that "it is." He then said that the total military aid from Brussels and the EU member states to Ukraine amounted to €25 billion ($26.4 billion). The bloc's cumulative military, financial and humanitarian support reached €85 billion ($89.8 billion), he added.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Scandinavia Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Scandinavia Times.
More InformationDUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's national weather service, Met Eireann, has warned that 'snow is possible' for Ireland in the upcoming days, ...
AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands: As European carmakers aim to produce more cost-effective batteries and more affordable electric vehicles (EV), Stellantis and ...
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov accused Washington of supporting a change of leadership in the countryThe US is increasingly focused ...
Russophobia, racism and other forms of neo-Nazism have become the official ideology of Western elites, the president has claimedThe official ...
Coup leaders have claimed that the relevant legislation was passed without considering its negative consequencesNiger's military government announced on Monday ...
London [UK], November 28 (ANI): One of Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787s on Tuesday took off for the world's first 100 ...
LIVINGSTON, Kentucky: This week, railroad operator CSX said a train derailment involving 16 cars, two of which spilled molten sulfur ...
Fifty-seven journalists have been killed as of Saturday as a result of Israel's war on Gaza, which has extended to ...
TEL AVIV, Israel - Following Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's statement on Emily Hand's release, Israel's foreign minister says he summoned the ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The White House says U.S. authorities have foiled a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the U.S., ...
BANGKOK, Thailand: In response to heightened Chinese activity in the South China Sea, the United States and the Philippines have ...
BEIRUT, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on Saturday that ...