Ursula von der Leyen:
“You saved your country. You saved all of Europe.”
On 24 February, the second anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale war, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and other high-ranking guests arrived in Kyiv to demonstrate their unwavering support for and solidarity with Ukrainians. Addressing Ukrainians from Hostomel, President von der Leyen said: “Exactly two years ago, it felt like everything was lost, and Kyiv would fall within days. But Kyiv stood strong. Your courage stood in Putin’s way. You did not flee or flinch. A small contingent of Ukrainian heroes held back the invader, fighting to your last bullet and your last breath. And you managed to stop Russia’s attack towards the heart of Ukraine. You saved your country. You saved all of Europe. And today, we are here from across Europe and the world, to pay tribute to your bravery.”
Read the text of the speech by the President of the European Commission at the joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
European Parliament approves allocation of EUR 50 billion to Ukraine
At a plenary session in Strasbourg on 27 February, the European Parliament approved the allocation of the package of macro-financial support to Ukraine worth EUR 50 billion as a part of . The statement of the co-rapporteurs from Poland and Portugal reads: “It is extremely important for us to provide unwavering support to Ukraine and its people. They can count on the continuous and reliable support of the European Union.” As was previously reported, this exceptional support package of EUR 50 billion for 2024–2027 is aimed at addressing Ukraine’s urgent challenges and supporting Ukraine’s efforts to rebuild and modernise the country on its path towards EU membership.
Katarína Mathernová:
“There is no Ukraine fatigue in the EU. There are distractions.”
Following the approval of the EU’s decision to allocate EUR 50 billion to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility, EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, met with RBC-Ukraine journalists to discuss the future mechanism of its functioning.
In the interview, EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, explained that the support for Ukraine within the Facility would be condition- al on further ‘upholding and respecting effective democratic institutions’. This was also a precondi- tion for the entire EU macro-financial assistance provided to Ukraine over the past decade.
Learn more about the Plan for Ukraine, the con- ditions of the assistance, the “Hungarian factor”, military support, and the start of negotiations on EU accession.
ECONOMY, FINANCE, BUSINESS
Frozen assets of the aggressor country will work for Ukraine
On 12 February, the Council of the European Union adopted a regulation that allows the use of net profits from immobilised Russian assets to support Ukraine. This decision paves the way for the Council to decide on possible establishment of a financial contribution to the EU budget raised on these net profits, to support Ukraine and its recovery and reconstruction at a later stage.
SECURITY SUPPORT
Josep Borrell:
“Our support to Ukraine in the coming months will be decisive.”
“Europe will not be made all at once, but it will be made!”
These words of Robert Schuman are quoted today more often by European leaders. President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, agree that the current dangerous geopolitical environment means that Europe must take full “strategic responsibility”, both in Ukraine and in other countries. Josep Borrel, Head of EU Diplomacy, writes about this issue as well. For more detail, read this article.
EU will fulfil its promise and deliver artillery shells to Ukraine, while preparing a new defence industry strategy
On 1 February, President of the European Commission Ursula von de Leyen stated that the EU will deliver 520,000 rounds of artillery shell to Ukraine by March, and will more than double this amount by the end of this year.
“The European defence industry has already increased its production capacity by 40% – and this is still growing. We are working with the Member States to get that ammunition to Ukraine – be it from the national stocks, or be it by diverting other orders or making new orders.”
EU provides cars to support investigations and prosecution of Russia’s war crimes
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen handed over 50 cars to the National Police of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine. Cars provided via the Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments are part of a larger support package for needs in high-risk environments.
The budget of the support package totals around €19.9 million, out of which the European Commission contributes €18 million and Germany €1.9 million.
The cars will help support war crime investigations and prosecution in de occupied and adjacent territories.
To find missing persons and ensure justice
Through the financial support of the EU, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) donated equipment and material worth more than €12,000 to Ukraine’s State Scientific Research Forensic Centre (SSRFC) to support efforts to account for missing persons as a result of the Russian invasion and investigate war crimes.
HUMANITARIAN AID AND PROTECTION
EU increases humanitarian aid budget
The European Commission announced an annual humanitarian aid budget of EUR 1.8 billion to help the most vulnerable countries in 2024, having once again increased its commitment to support the most vulnerable people around the world. EUR 115 million will be directed to Southeast Europe and the Eastern Partnership countries, mostly addressing the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, as well as funding projects for ongoing needs in the Western Balkans and the Caucasus. Since 2022, the has EU provided economic, financial, military, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine for an amount of nearly EUR 88 billion.
‘Hope’ to help demine Ukrainian cities
Peter Wagner, Director of the EU’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, visited Dnipro and delivered Hope (Nadiia), a DOK-ING MV-10 remote demining system, to the State Special Transport Service. Ukraine received it as part of an EU assistance package worth EUR 25 million for humanitarian demining, which was announced at the EU–Ukraine Summit in February 2023. Alongside previous specialised equipment and gear that was provided, the system will be an excellent addition to the arsenal of Ukrainian forces engaged in the extremely challenging task of demining liberated areas.
Children must learn in safe conditions
The European Commission will allocate EUR 15 million to build new school shelters in Ukraine. Lithuania is contributing an additional EUR 500,000 and taking responsibility for implementing the project.
“Russia’s war of aggression is robbing thousands of Ukrainian children of a normal life and education. Our most recent initiative underlines the EU’s unwavering commitment to ensure an educational environment that is as safe as possible for all children in Ukraine,” Katarína Mathernová, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, said in a press release about the conclusion of the agreement.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
EU project is helping provide new housing for IDPs
The energy efficient reconstruction of a former boarding school dormitory provides urgent housing for displaced Ukrainians in the community of Kivertsi. The reconstruction of housing for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kivertsi was one of the projects implemented under the ‘EU Support for Urgent Housing Needs for Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine’ action, funded by the European Union and managed by Nefco. The initiative aims to provide accommodation in ten cities across western and central Ukraine, including Kivertsi, Chernivtsi, Chortkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskiy, Kovel, Lutsk, Rivne, Zolochiv, and Zviahel, for Ukrainian citizens forced to flee their homes due to Russia’s armed aggression. The goal of the project is to provide proper homes to Ukrainians who were forced to flee their homes because of Russia’s war.
Zaporizhzhia Oblast to receive equipment for operation of its energy system
The Ukraine Energy Support Fund established upon the initiative of the EU has delivered excavators to help rebuild damaged energy infrastructure in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. These vehicles are a part of a significant package of vehicles and other urgently needed materials and equipment procured by the Ukraine Energy Support Fund for distribution among network operators. The excavators will help to speed up the restoration of a stable power grid after the destruction caused by the war.