EU has to increase and accelerate military support to Ukraine – Borrell

The European Union and its member states have to speed up deliveries of military aid to Ukraine, which urgently needs it now.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said this in his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We have to increase and accelerate military support to Ukraine. The first and most urgent thing geopolitical Europe has to do is to arm Ukraine.  As all the European leaders said, yesterday, that Russia can not win this war, that Ukraine has to prevail. Then let's go from the words to the facts, and accelerate our military support to Ukraine. Because Ukraine is in a critical situation from the point of view of the ammunition available,” Borrell said.

He reminded that the EU already provides significant military aid to Ukraine. For the first time in its history, the EU provided a country under attack with direct military aid through the intergovernmental European Peace Facility. Taking into account the contributions of EU member states, the amount of European aid to Ukraine reached EUR 12 billion. In addition, Europe provides training for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, by the end of the year 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers will be trained by EU training missions.

"Everybody knows that in order to win a war, a classical war, with ... maneuvers of heavy arms, you need battle tanks. You will not win a war without these sorts of arms," Borrell said.

He emphasized that a quick solution should be found to the current issue of ammunition shortages, which Ukraine is experiencing. Now it would not be feasible to wait for the production or procurement of new supplies, member states should provide Ukraine a part of their ammunition and then take steps to refill their stocks, Borrell said.

"We have to use what we have, and what the member states have,” he said.

As reported, the 59th Munich Security Conference is taking place from February 17 to 19, 2023.