At a June 29 summit in Brussels, European Union leaders declared they would contribute to long-term security commitments to Ukraine and swiftly consider approaches to such contribution.
"These commitments will be taken in full respect of the security and defense policy of certain member states and taking into account the security and defense interests of all member states," reads a statement adopted at the summit.
The EU also reiterated its readiness to provide Ukraine with military aid "for as long as it takes," in particular, through the EU Military Assistance Mission and the European Peace Facility.
The bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell suggested that the European Peace Facility, an off-budget fund used to finance defense assistance to Ukraine and other EU partners, could serve as the basis for the said security commitments.
According to Borrell, as cited by Reuters, the EU could create a Ukrainian Defense Fund modeled after the Peace Facility.
"The military support to Ukraine has to (be for the) long haul," Borrell told reporters in Brussels. "The training has to continue, the modernization of the army has to continue. Ukraine needs our commitment to continue ensuring their security during the war and after the war."
Ukraine has said that the best security guarantee for it would be to become a full-fledged NATO member after Russia's war ends. Kyiv hopes to receive a decisive signal at the upcoming Vilnius NATO summit in July.
However, allies reportedly remain divided on Ukraine's NATO accession. Some Eastern and Central European allies have supported proposing a simplified accession process for Ukraine, while others remain hesitant.
Martin Fornusek
