EU to support Ukraine financially throughout next year - Costa

This was stated today in Kyiv during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He condemned as inhumane Russia’s reckless and targeted attacks against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and power system. With their actions, the Russian aggressors are putting at risk the lives of children and women, entire families, who are deprived of the opportunity to use everyday services, including electricity, heating, and water supply.

As per Costa, this was among the reasons for the visit, in order to tell the Ukrainians that the EU has stood by Ukraine since the start of this war of aggression, and that Kyiv can further rely on EU support – and not only in words but through humanitarian, economic, military, and energy assistance. As for energy, the EU vows to join efforts in repairing existing generating capacities, Antonio Costa emphasized.

Also, he noted that the EU would continue to increase pressure on the Russian economy and is already preparing the 15th package of sanctions against the Putin regime in order to weaken Moscow’s ability to wage its criminal war against Ukraine.

The President of the European Council dismissed as “unacceptable” the Kremlin’s nuclear threats, noting that any appeasement of the aggressor poses a threat to the international community and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, including respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries.

As reported earlier, today the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit. They came to Ukraine on the first day of their mandate in these positions.