Next week, the EU will approve new funding that will increase military support to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict to “more than 3 billion” euros, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said on Thursday, reports AFP and Agerpres.
“I have come to inform NATO members that we will approve, hopefully next Monday in Luxembourg, a new tranche of our military support for the Ukrainian armed forces,” Borrell said after arriving at the alliance’s headquarters.
In total, the EU will allocate “more than 3 billion euros of resources from the European Peace Support Fund”, he added before a meeting with the defense ministers of the 30 member states.
Since the beginning of the Russian offensive on Ukraine, the Europeans have already allocated 2.5 billion euros from the 5.7 billion euros fund created outside the European budget to finance the supply of weapons to Ukraine. The new tranche will amount to 500 million, according to a European source quoted by France Presse.
EU foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg on Monday to approve this new funding and launch a major military mission to help Ukrainian troops face off against invading Russian forces.
The new military mission will also be funded by the European Peace Fund. According to some diplomatic sources, this will allow the “initial” training of 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
The political agreement reached by EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday provides for the establishment of a headquarters for the mission and training centers in each participating member state. Poland and Germany have already announced their readiness to host the headquarters.
According to the entourage of French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, France will also participate in military training.
NATO members have promised to provide Ukraine with air and missile defense systems that require months of training to operate.
Great Britain, which is no longer a member of the EU, has been training the Ukrainian military on its territory for several months.
___
- Follow the latest events of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HotNews.ro
Source: Hot News RU
James Springer is a renowned author and opinion writer, known for his bold and thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics. He currently works as a writer at 247 news reel, where he uses his unique voice and sharp wit to offer fresh perspectives on current events. His articles are widely read and shared and has earned him a reputation as a talented and insightful writer.