Despite Putin’s demand, the EU insists that Ukraine must have “its own solid military and defense skills as an essential component.”
The European Union (EU) has rejected the request for Vladimir Putin of military assistance to Ukraine to be completely suspended within the scope of the current negotiations for a high fire, which the Russian leader only partially accepted.
Putin reiterated his application during a phone call with Donald Trump on Tuesday, when he agreed to stop attacks against energy infrastructure, well below the high and unconditional fire that the United States and Ukraine approved last week in Saudi Arabia.
“It has been emphasized that the total termination of the provision of military aid and foreign information should become the fundamental condition to avoid a rise in conflict and move towards resolution through political and diplomatic means,” Kremlin said in his call reading.
But on Thursday, EU leaders, except one, unequivocally rejected this requirement.
In the conclusions adopted during a summit in Brussels, the heads of state and the government reaffirmed their commitment to continue providing weapons and ammunition to help the Ukrainian armed forces to resist the great large -scale invasion of Russia.
“The European Union Maintains its Approach To ‘Peace Through Strength’, which requires Ukraine to Be as Strong as Possible, With ITS Read in the text.
“The European Union appeals to the Member States to urgently intensify efforts to respond to the pressing needs of Ukraine in military and defense.”
Before the summit, António Costa, president of the European Council, said: “We will continue to support Ukraine now, in future negotiations and especially in peacetime.”
The conclusions about Ukraine were approved by 26 leaders with Viktor Orbán once again to subscribe to them.
Hungarian prime minister Spent the last weeks Attacking EU’s policy in relation to Ukraine, suggesting that Trump’s inauguration made it obsolete. Orbán is an arsenal critic of military assistance to kyiv and, for almost two years, blocked reimbursement through a common EU fund of 6,600 million euros. Twice, threatened to derail the prolongation of EU sanctions against Russia, giving Only at the last minute.
Employees and diplomats in Brussels got used to the opposition of Budapest and resorted to the “extract” format to allow the 26 to maintain an ambitious text, instead of opting for a diluted language that Orbán could be willing to tolerate.
The text approved on Thursday welcomes Trump’s diplomatic openings and “attracts Russia to show a true political will to end war”, raising the spectrum of new sanctions as a way of “increasing pressure” over Kremlin.
The 26 are also committed to supporting the “Ukraine reform efforts on their way to EU compliance”, an objective that Orbán has delayed with his veto power.
During his virtual speech to EU leaders, Volodymyr Zelenskyy attacked Hungary for his obstruction.
“It is unfortunate to say this, but pressure is also necessary within Europe to ensure that everything that is promised to actually happen,” Zelensky said on Thursday. “It is simply (an act) anti -Europeu when a person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed.”
ADVERTISING“European efforts that should bring more security and peace are also constantly clogged. And I think this is wrong,” he added.
Trump also rejected Putin’s requirement for a total suspension of military aid, who, after a telephone conversation with Zelenskyy, promised to help Ukraine find additional air defense systems to protect civil infrastructure “particularly in Europe.”
