A Ukrainian victory in the war with Russia depends on cooperation with the European Union, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday, in front of EU foreign ministers gathered in Kiev in an informal meeting not announced in advance, reports News.ro.
Dmitro Kuleba and Josep Borrell, at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in KievPhoto: Handout / AFP / Profimedia
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who made the speech after the US Congress left war aid to Ukraine out of a short-term government spending bill, also emphasized the importance of “defense support” given to Ukraine during the war of aggression launched by Russia, reports The Guardian and CNN.
EU foreign ministers met in Kiev on Monday in their first meeting outside the bloc, relaying their support for Kiev after a pro-Russian candidate won an election in Slovakia and the US Congress ruled out war aid for Ukraine from its law on expenses.
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, announced that he proposed to Ukraine a new bilateral aid package, through the European Peace Facility, of up to 5 billion euros for next year.
“I hope we will be able to reach an agreement before the end of the year,” he said at a joint press conference in Kiev with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba.
The EU remains united in its support for Ukraine, assured the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell. “I don’t see any member state wavering,” he added, indicating that the EU does not expect Slovakia or Poland to stop contributing to Ukraine’s defense support.
The meeting of EU foreign ministers was “a strong signal to Russia that we are not intimidated by its missiles or drones,” Borrell emphasized.
Zelensky: The more active we are, the less likely Russia will adapt to our joint pressure
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with visiting European Union foreign ministers in Kiev and said he was “confident that Ukraine and the entire free world are capable of winning this confrontation (with Russia).”
“But our victory depends directly on our cooperation: the more strong and principled steps we take together, the sooner this war will end. It will end fairly. It will end with the restoration of our territorial integrity and the reliable guarantee of peace for the whole of Europe,” said Zelenski.
He described the presence of the ministers in Kiev as a step towards the consolidation of Europe. “We must constantly take new defense and diplomatic, political and integration, economic and sanctions measures that will make our common positions stronger,” the president of Ukraine said.
“The more active we are, the less likely it is that Russia will adapt to our joint pressure,” he added.
Zelenskiy said that in addition to continuing military aid and joint arms production, Ukraine’s path to NATO membership and a new package of sanctions against Russia were among the important steps to be taken, as well as “starting negotiations this year on Ukraine’s accession to the EU”.
In response, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said: “You can be sure of our determination to stand by Ukraine as long as it takes.”
Ukraine wants to start EU accession negotiations by the end of the year
Ukraine hopes to become a member of the European Union within two years, but the EU itself has some important decisions to make before it is ready to accept any new country.
The head of EU diplomacy rejected suggestions according to which Ukraine’s accession to the EU bloc could be achieved gradually over several years. He declared that joining the EU is all or nothing, reflecting a school of thought increasingly prevalent among diplomats. Some, including European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, have suggested that one option would be to allow Ukraine to enter the single market before full membership, which could take years.
“What is this talk about a partial accession? Half membership, 25% membership? Membership is membership. Full stop. Do you want me to repeat it? Membership is membership, period,” said Borrell.
The biggest decision, EU diplomats say, will be about the budget – accepting a country the size of Ukraine into the bloc will require a much larger budget, with many member states expected to shift from net beneficiaries to net contributors.
It is expected that the EU will publish at the beginning of November the evaluation report of the accession process of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova after the first year since the two countries obtained the status of candidate states for accession. Then, in December, the meeting of EU leaders will take place, and it will be up to them to take a decision.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba said that negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union should begin by the end of the year. “The subject that was a leitmotif in all the speeches was Ukraine’s accession to the EU. We are moving forward, we expect a decision to start accession negotiations (to the EU) by the end of the year,” said Kuleba, speaking after the meeting with European foreign ministers gathered in Kiev.
“The content and atmosphere of the discussion showed that we are talking like a family. We have only one goal and today, in Kiev, this was demonstrated powerfully”, said Kuleba, speaking alongside the head of the European Union’s foreign policy, Josep Borrell. “We were not offered anything, but Ukraine is a state with full rights and we are only satisfied with full membership,” Kuleba emphasized.
“It’s only a matter of time. Both Ukraine and the European side are determined to advance as quickly as possible, taking into account all the reforms that Ukraine has implemented, is implementing and will implement”, said the head of Ukrainian diplomacy.
Kuleba also stated that the key message from the Ukrainian side was that “it will accept the seven recommendations that the European Commission made for the opening of accession negotiations”, but it is expected that “no additional requirements will be submitted”.
These pre-conditions include actions on corruption and money laundering, freedom of the press and protection of minorities.
Borrell: Ukraine’s accession is the strongest security commitment the EU can offer Kiev
Borrell stressed on Monday that joining the European Union is “the strongest security commitment” the EU bloc can offer Ukraine. According to Borrell, the foreign ministers engaged in a “lengthy discussion” that succeeded in giving them “a better idea of the security dimension of the situation” in Ukraine.
“We discussed the security commitments we want to make to Ukraine, showing our determination to stand with Ukraine for the long term,” Borrell said. “And, certainly, the strongest security commitment we can offer to Ukraine is the accession to the European Union. This is the strongest security commitment for Ukraine. Now Ukraine is a candidate country, and it is going further on its way,” said Borrell.
German Foreign Minister: Ukraine’s future is in the EU
For her part, the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, declared on Monday that “the future of Ukraine lies in the European Union” and praised Ukraine for the ongoing reforms.
Speaking on the sidelines of the EU-Ukraine foreign ministers’ meeting, Baerbock said the EU “will soon stretch from Lisbon to Luhansk”.
“With every village, with every meter that Ukraine liberates, with every meter in which it saves its people, it opens its way to the EU,” added Baerbock.
The German foreign minister praised Ukraine for initiating a reform process during the war. In addition to changes in the justice sector, Baerbock particularly applauded Ukraine’s attempts to combat corruption.
Baerbock told reporters that the EU would continue to support Ukraine “every day” and help it prepare for winter. Ukraine needs a winter protection plan that includes air defense, generators and a strengthening of its energy supply systems, Baerbock said.
How Ukraine views what is happening in Washington
On the other hand, commenting on what is happening in Washington, the Ukrainian foreign minister hopes that the exclusion of aid to Ukraine from the agreement in the US Congress to avoid insolvency is nothing more than an “incident”.
“The question is whether what happened in the American Congress at the end of last week is an incident or is it systematic,” Kuleba said on the sidelines of the meeting with foreign ministers from the European Union. “I think it was an incident. We have a very in-depth discussion with both sides of Congress, Republicans and Democrats. And against the background of a potential shutdown of government activity in the United States, the decision was taken as it was,” he explained.
“But now we’re working with both sides of Congress to make sure it doesn’t happen again under any circumstances. So we do not feel that the support of the United States has dissipated. Because the United States understands that the stake in Ukraine is much higher than just Ukraine, it’s about the stability and predictability of the world,” added Kuleba.
On the other hand, in a wide-ranging interview with CNN, Ukraine’s National Security Adviser, Oleksii Danilov, expressed his concern over the action of the US Congress to exclude aid to Ukraine under the agreement to keep the federal government operating.
“We have to see if the United States is responsible for democracy in the world, if it remains the country that supports democracy or if it is the country that will stand aside and watch as authoritarian states grab more and more territory. This is quite simple,” Danilov pointed out. “If the United States is a bastion of democracy in the world, then the answer should be clear to everyone. If the United States believes that it should move away from this, that chaos should reign throughout the world, that authoritarian states should seize more and more territory, then the United States should also give this response,” he emphasized Ukrainian official.
Referring to the debate between the Republican presidential candidates regarding the extent of aid to Ukraine, Danilov said: “We are aware that a political process, an electoral process, has begun in the United States. We do not intervene in this process in any way, but we would very much like it not to affect the development of democracy in the world”.
“I emphasize once again that it would be a great joy for Putin, and not only for him, but for all autocratic regimes, if the US would withdraw from the assistance it provides to our country,” he insisted.
Danilov also said that the world is at a crossroads. “Darkness can quickly engulf many countries. The American people must choose – either on the side of light, or prepare for very unexpected events that may appear,” the Ukrainian adviser warned. Danilov added, however, that he is certain that the American people “are on the side of the light”.
“As for the end of American support, we are more than confident that this will not happen,” he said.
The winter months will not make any difference regarding Ukraine’s strategic objectives, assured Danilov, referring to the situation on the battlefield.
He said his country still needs more air defense systems to protect critical infrastructure – energy facilities, water supplies and the fuel and power complex.
Regarding possible negotiations to end the conflict, Danilov declared that the Russians cannot be trusted. “These are people who cannot negotiate with anyone. Today they will agree with you, but tomorrow they will not implement these agreements,” he warned.
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