Kuleba calls for increasing military aid to Ukraine at EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting

At the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for increasing military aid to Ukraine, endorsing a decision on the start of accession talks, and speeding up the approval of a new sanctions package against Russia.

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In the course of the meeting, Kuleba spoke of the Ukrainian infantry, ordinary men and women, most of whom had never served in the army before but had chosen to defend their motherland.

According to Kuleba, there are two key components that would ensure the success of the Ukrainian infantry: the tools required to carry out missions and morale.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy thanked the European Union for the supply of weapons and ammunition, as well as further steps bolstering the morale of the entire Ukrainian people, such as the European Commission’s recent decision recommending the start of accession talks with Ukraine.

Kuleba mentioned that the above decision helped Ukrainians to realize that their struggle and efforts were not in vain. In this regard, the Ukrainian minister expressed hope that EU leaders would unanimously support a decision to start accession talks with Ukraine at the December meeting.

Additionally, the Ukrainian minister spoke in detail about the country’s priority military needs. He called for increasing military aid to Ukraine and speeding up the deliveries. In this context, Kuleba mentioned army aircraft, artillery systems, multiple launch rocket systems, armored vehicles, tanks, ammunition, electronic warfare systems, radars, drones, long-range missiles, and other equipment.

Separately, Kuleba stressed the need to further strengthen Ukraine’s anti-aircraft and anti-missile defenses, and the supply of related ammunition.

The Ukrainian minister thanked for all the support that had already been provided. He also expressed hope for receiving the eight tranche in aid to Ukraine from the European Peace Fund, and creating the special fund, totaling EUR 20 billion.

In addition, Kuleba stressed the importance of accelerating the implementation of the European Union’s joint plan for the supply of 1 million artillery rounds.

The head of Ukrainian diplomacy reiterated his call for creating a joint collaborative space of defense industries of EU Member States and candidates. In his words, such cooperation may eventually become one of the pillars of the EU’s joint security and defense policy.

Among other things, Kuleba also urged EU countries to accelerate the adoption of the 12th sanctions package against Russia.

Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry