EU Parliament President: Drone attacks on Moscow don't change EU support for Ukraine
Drone attacks on Moscow shouldn't have any impact on the EU's support for Ukraine, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told Deutsche Welle on May 31.
"I think anyone who makes this argument is forgetting the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine. This is not a conflict between two countries. This is one country invading another and taking part of its territory," Metsola said.
The EU will not stop supplying aid to Ukraine until Russia withdraws from Ukrainian territory, Metsola added.
Metsola's comments come after a drone attack on Moscow on May 30 that damaged several high-rise buildings. Russia accused Ukraine of orchestrating the attack, with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin threatening retaliation.
Ukrainian officials have denied responsibility for the attack on Moscow.
That same morning, Russia launched yet another drone attack against Kyiv, targeting the capital for the 17th time in May. One person was killed, and at least 13 others were injured.
Metsola went on in her interview with DW to call for the "speedy approval" of the EU Commission's proposal to supply Ukraine with more ammunition.
"I believe that we should take action when we receive proposals (from the EU Commission), as I do when I go to different member states and explain what we are doing. We, let's say, had to adapt to an emergency situation, just like during the pandemic," Metsola said.
The EU Commission essentially acts as the executive branch of the bloc and can propose new legislation, which is then reviewed by the EU Parliament, the latter of which shares legislative powers with the EU Council.
The EU Parliament is scheduled to consider the EU Commission's proposal on June 1 which would allow EU countries to jointly provide Ukraine with one million artillery rounds by the end of 2023.
Politico reported in early April that the EU's plan to procure ammunition for Ukraine had been hitting roadblocks over contract disagreements.
Agatha Gorski
