Baerbock: support to Ukraine through European Peace Facility best protection for EU

By directing money to support Ukraine, the European Union is primarily protecting its own security interests.

This was noted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, who spoke on the sidelines of the EU foreign affairs ministerial in Luxembourg, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We are in a situation where it is more than clear that the war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for more than two years, threatens not only Ukraine, but also the European peace order. Therefore, supporting Ukraine through the European Peace Fund (EPF) is the best protection for us, because the money we have already allocated also protects us in the EU," Baerbock stressed.

She noted that the next step in this direction is "significant", adding that the European Union has proven throughout this time that it can take such steps even despite obstacles on the way.

The head of the German Foreign Ministry recalled that the EU had launched the process of allocating EUR 50 billion and forwarding profits from immobilized Russian assets to aid Ukraine, as well as assistance within the EPF framework. She noted the importance of combining all these mechanisms and urged all parties involved to work harder under the EPF.

The diplomat noted that after the International Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, G7 Summit in Italy, and Peace Summit in Switzerland, it became obvious that a large part of the world stands united on Ukraine’s side, for freedom and security, because the world wants and needs peace. At the same time, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin continues his bomb and missile terror against Ukraine and Ukrainians on a daily basis, Baerbock stressed.

"Putin wanted to break not only Ukraine, but also the European peace order. However, he achieved the opposite: Ukraine is closer to the EU than ever. It is important to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova immediately because the EU and NATO are a lifeline for us. And this also applies to the future of Ukraine," the minister emphasized.

As reported earlier, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said the EU ministers of foreign affairs at a meeting in Luxembourg on June 24 would make a final decision on the use of profits from immobilized Russian assets toward military support for Ukraine.

According to the top diplomat, the first tranche of this money in the amount of EUR 2.5 billion will be paid next week.