EU’s Borrell once again calls on EU countries to unblock military aid for Ukraine

Josep Borrell spoke about this in Brussels during a press conference following the EU foreign affairs ministerial (at the level of defense ministers), reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

"At [this] moment we have seven legal acts to be approved, to mobilize €6.6 billion under the Ukrainian Assistance Fund.  This has not been possible [for] quite a long time because there is not [an] agreement for the consensus needed. You know that we need unanimity – unanimity [has] not [been] there for months. I was complaining yesterday about that at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. We did the same thing today.  There is €6.6 billion pending allocation, and the legal instruments necessary for that are still pending approval," said Borrell 

He noted that this situation is particularly urgent, given that the Ukraine Facility with a capacity of EUR 5 billion, which is being created within the framework of the European Peace Facility, was agreed at the highest level among EU leaders, by the European Council.

"This is more than a theoretical discussion. Every delay of military support [delivery] has real consequences, and these consequences are measured in human lives, in infrastructure damaged, towns destroyed, or more battlefield setbacks for Ukraine. That is why it is so important. And, in particular, it is more important because we are going to go to the use of the windfall profits. The debate has started at the COREPER (Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU - ed.) this week," the high representative emphasized.

Borrell recalled that 90 percent of the revenues from frozen Russian assets will be directed to the European Peace Facility, for the further direct supply of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. So member states should make every effort to avoid any blocking of these funds in the amount of about EUR 3 billion per year, Borrell stressed.

As reported earlier, the EU Foreign Affairs Council (at the level of defense ministers) was held in Brussels on Tuesday. The main topic of the meeting was continuing and strengthening military aid to Ukraine, supporting the nation in defending against unprovoked and criminal Russian aggression.