EU’s plan for long-term support of Ukraine

The European Union is developing a plan of comprehensive long-term support for Ukraine to fight Russian aggression, writes Politico with reference to a leaked internal document, as reported by Ukrinform.

“The EU’s diplomatic service has drafted a plan that recommends the bloc make a full slate of “security commitments to Ukraine” for years to come as it fends off Russia’s onslaught,” the document reads.

The recommendations are mostly a summary of the EU efforts already underway to support Ukraine. “But taken together, they are notable in their breadth and suggested longevity, essentially outlining billions in potential support in the coming years,” Politico writes.

The proposed steps include the establishment of a separate reimbursement system as a pillar of the EU’s long-term military support for Ukraine, saying officials will “soon” offer a plan to create a “dedicated” pot of money for such efforts that would run through 2027, according to the document. “This will be a core element of [the] EU’s security commitment to Ukraine in the short to longer term,” it says. The EU will spend €4 billion from this fund this year alone.

Separately, the document mentions a possibility to extend EU-provided military training, saying that 25,000 Ukrainian military personnel have either completed or are currently undergoing training.

The EU’s diplomatic service argues the EU’s unity with Ukraine is existential, calling Russia’s war “a fundamental challenge to European peace and security.” Russia, it says, is “unlikely to abandon its goal to subjugate Ukraine.” Therefore, “Ukraine will continue to need [the] EU’s long-term commitment and support to secure its free and democratic European future.”

As Ukrinform previously reported, on Tuesday, NATO member countries approved a communique at the summit in Vilnius, recognizing Ukraine’s progress on the path towards Euro-Atlantic integration and confirming that Ukraine’s future is in the Alliance.

www.ukrinform.ua