Borrell urges Europeans to step up military support for Ukraine counteroffensive

BRUSSELS, 13 ()

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has called on European citizens on Tuesday to “not falter” in their support for Ukraine, assuring that, at a time when the Ukrainian Army has launched a counteroffensive that is pushing back Russian troops, it is necessary to “redouble” military support to Kiev.

Speaking at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, the head of European diplomacy noted that the Ukrainian counteroffensive on the eastern flank is proving “more successful than expected” and called for seizing the moment to increase assistance.

“I take this opportunity to address the European citizens, so that they do not waver in support of the Ukrainians. This is not the time to weaken the support, we must maintain it to reach the situation to resolve the conflict in a way to protect the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” he urged, in a question-and-answer session with MEPs on the progress of the conflict in Ukraine.

The High Representative believes that the Ukrainian Army’s progress on the ground shows that the strategy of supplying arms to Kiev “is the right one and must continue to be implemented.” “This is not the time to lose heart, but to redouble efforts. Wars are won with weapons,” he concluded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expects European support to wane in the face of the energy pulse and rising gas and electricity prices, Borrell said, to defend that Europe stands firm since no one thought that six months after launching the offensive against the neighboring country, the Russian Army would go on the defensive.

Ukrainian campaigns are resulting in the rapid advance of their troops in the Kharkov area, where they claim to have wiped out 350 Russian troops yesterday alone. The Ukrainian Presidency has pointed out that “the liberation of Donetsk and Lugansk will generate a domino effect, the collapse of the Russian front and political destabilization in Russia.”

MORE EU FUNDS TO SEND ARMS

On the role of the EU as an arms supplier to Ukrainian forces, the head of European diplomacy has insisted that Europe’s role is to maintain this support “unflinchingly”, regardless of what other allies such as the United States do.

That is why Borrell has announced that “in the next few days” he will propose to the EU-27 another allocation from the European Peace Facility to finance the shipment of arms to Ukraine, bringing to 3 billion euros the funds made available since the beginning of the war.

So far, the EU has approved five rounds, of 500 million each, under the instrument that releases funds contributed by member states to pay for the purchase of arms being sent to Ukraine.

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