At a meeting in Luxembourg, the EU foreign ministers are discussing additional support options for Ukraine. It’s about arms deliveries to Ukraine and other military equipment – and a possible gas boycott against Russia at EU level.
On Monday in Luxembourg, the foreign ministers of the EU countries will discuss additional support options for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. Among other things, the proposal by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to provide a further 500 million euros for the delivery of weapons and other military equipment is on the table.
This would add up to 1.5 billion euros in corresponding EU aid since the Russian invasion on February 24. Due to its neutrality, Austria had always constructively abstained from EU military aid to Ukraine.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke out in favor of supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine. “Ukraine needs more military material – above all heavy weapons,” said the Green politician on Monday before the meeting with her EU counterparts. “Now is no time for excuses, now is the time for creativity and pragmatism,” emphasized Baerbock.
The EU foreign policy representative Borrell is also committed to further arms deliveries from the EU states. He expects massive attacks by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. Russia is gathering its troops there, Borrell said on Monday.
Is the oil embargo coming?
The meeting of foreign ministers is also likely to deal with possible additional sanctions against Russia, which invaded Ukraine a good six weeks ago. One of the topics under discussion is to decide on an oil embargo after the import ban on Russian coal.
According to Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, the EU Commission is already working on the details of an oil embargo against Russia. He hopes that the 27 EU member states can agree on this as soon as possible.
Coveney stressed that from the Irish perspective there should be an oil embargo as soon as possible. The EU spends hundreds of millions of euros on oil imports from Russia, he said. “It certainly contributes to the financing of this war. And from our point of view, we must end this war financing, even if it poses enormous challenges and problems for the EU.”
The ministers from countries such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands and Lithuania made similar statements. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said: “The Czech Republic is in favor of the toughest sanctions we can impose on Russia.” His Dutch colleague Wopke Hoekstra said that the European Union and the international community must ensure that the sanctions are continued. The only requirement is to maintain cohesion in the EU. Denmark’s Jeppe Kofod said his country was ready to go as far as possible, including in the energy sector.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn warned of the effects of a gas boycott against Russia on the whole of Europe. A sixth package of sanctions against Russia will be discussed, he says. But you have to remember that an energy boycott doesn’t just affect Germany, he warns. Asselborn also doubts that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin would stop the war immediately.
Schallenberg: “Will find a common line”
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) was confident that the EU would find a solution together. “So far we have created a uniform line, and we will continue to do so,” emphasized Schallenberg. Austria, like Germany, has always spoken out against an embargo on Russian energy, mainly because of its high dependence on Russian gas.
His German counterpart Baerbock emphasized in Luxembourg that the EU had already agreed to phase out “all fossil energy imports from Russia”. In order for this to be implemented, however, you need “a jointly agreed plan”.
Borrell was in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv last Friday together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to assure the government and the people in the country of the full solidarity of the EU. The Spaniard then made it clear that he sees the need for further sanctions against the Russian energy sector, citing oil as an example. According to estimates by the Bruegel think tank, Russian oil worth around 450 million euros is still consumed in the EU every day.
Other topics of the foreign ministers’ meeting include the situation in Mali, Libya and Yemen. In addition, it should be about the Global Gateway Initiative launched last year to promote the international influence of the EU.
(APA/dpa/Reuters)