The President of the European Commission Ursula von Der Leyen said on Monday during a visit to Kiev that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants “Ukraine surrender”. According to the AFP report and Sky News, TASR reports this.
“The war in Ukraine remains a central and serious crisis for the future of Europe. Putin strives to win this war on earth more than ever. Its aim is the surrender of Ukraine, “Leyen said at an extraordinary meeting of leaders from Europe and Canada on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The President of the EC warned that there is not only the fate of Ukraine, but the fate of Europe. Therefore, it is still a priority to strengthen Ukrainian resistance. It is also necessary to speed up the supply of weapons and ammunition. “And this will be the focal point of our work in the coming weeks,” she said.
Leyen claims that free and sovereign Ukraine is not only the interest of Europe, but also the whole world. “Because autocrats around the world are closely watching whether there is impunity if you attack your neighbor and break the international borders. Or whether there is a real deterrent effect, “she said.
According to Leyen, the investment in the sovereignty of Ukraine is an investment in the prevention of future wars.
The EU has promised Ukraine financial assistance
Leyen announced that the EU will provide financial assistance to Ukraine in March. She also announced that she would present a comprehensive plan to increase European armory production and defense capacities and benefit Ukraine. The EU will also speed up investment in renewable energy sources in Ukraine. “All these efforts will lead to greater energy security for Ukraine and the European Union,” said Leyen.
About 12 leaders from Europe and Canada arrived in Kiev on Monday morning. In addition to the delegation of EU top officials, the presidents and chairmen of the North European countries and Spain are among them.
Before the beginning of the meeting, the air alarm sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital. Diplomatic sources said that the European Commissioners, who were in Parliament at that time, spent approximately 20 minutes in the anti -aircraft cover. It turned out that Russian fighters probably only performed a maneuver with the intention of disrupting the event and consent to leaving the cover was issued. The fighters took off from Belarus and headed for Ukraine, a diplomatic source for a journalist representing the European Newsroom project (ENR/European journalists).
Meanwhile, the EU Foreign Ministers approved the 16th EU meeting in Brussels 16. A package of sanctions against Russia, which extends its shadow fleet of oil tankers and prohibits the import of aluminum.
