EU to increase funding for arms supplies to Ukraine to €1bn – Burbock
The European Union plans to increase military aid to Ukraine for arms purchases to € 1 billion.
This was announced today by German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbok before the EU Council meeting in Brussels. Consultations between the Ministers of Defense and the Foreign Ministers of the European Union are to take place there today.
In a comment to reporters, Burbock confirmed that a political decision to double the EU’s funding for arms and ammunition supplies to Ukraine (from € 500 million to € 1 billion) should be made at a meeting in Brussels.
Ukraine needs additional weapons, and we on Germany’s side support that, – Burbock said.
She assured that the German government will facilitate the earliest possible purchase and delivery of weapons to Ukraine from German manufacturers.
We are already taking care of this, so that if it is necessary to buy (weapons, – Ed.) from German manufacturers, it could happen as soon as possible, – Burbock said.
At the same time, she declined to comment on the details of arms supplies to Ukraine for security reasons (amid threats from Russia to bomb such routes).
We can’t talk about it in public, because it’s a matter of life and death, – the German Foreign Minister said.
It is known that before the full-scale invasion of russian troops into Ukraine, Berlin blocked the supply of weapons to our state.
Commenting on the war in Ukraine and the bombing of Ukrainian cities by russian troops, Burbock stressed that these were war crimes.
When we see how the bombing of civilian infrastructure is intensifying – quite deliberate bombing of hospitals and theaters, where it is known that civilians and families are hiding inside. The courts will decide on this, but for me it is clearly and unambiguously war crimes, – she said.
Burbock also assured that Berlin is now looking for alternative suppliers of oil and gas instead of Russia (to get rid of future dependence on Russian energy).
We emphasize that we will cut all the paths we have with Russia to isolate the russian government and the russian president on all channels, – the Minister said.
An increase in military aid to Ukraine was also recently announced by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. He said it was planned to increase aid from € 500 million to € 1 billion.
The European Peace Facility, an EU instrument that covers funding in the military or defense sectors, should double its military support to Ukraine.
At the end of February, the EU decided to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine for €450 million and non-lethal assistance (fuel, protective equipment) for €50 million. Then Borrell noted that the EU would finance the purchase and supply of lethal weapons to a third country for the first time in history.
Borrell also said that the countries of the European Union agreed on the provision of combat aircraft to our state. However, Ukraine never received them.
Source: Die Welt, Die Zeit, Deutsche Welle