President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met in Kyiv on Feb. 7 to discuss security cooperation between Kyiv and the EU and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, among other topics, the Presidential Office reported.
"We highly appreciate the military assistance of the EU," said Shmyhal, who held a joint press conference with Borrell. "The European defense industry is building up its capabilities, and I'm sure we'll feel it soon."
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba thanked his Portuguese counterpart, Joao Cravinho, for his "personal firm position in support of Ukraine" and said the two discussed Ukraine's peace formula, Ukraine's accession into NATO and the EU, and further Portuguese military assistance.
"Last night’s political agreement on the 50 billion euro ($54 billion) Ukraine Facility is a major step forward," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Feb. 6.
Josep Borrell, the EU's chief diplomat, arrived in Kyiv on Feb. 6, media reported. This is Borrell's fourth visit to Ukraine since the outbreak of the full-scale war.
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU had concluded a preliminary agreement on the Ukraine Facility of 50 billion euros ($54 billion), the Council's press service said on Feb. 6.
Countries like France and Germany with existing military-industrial capacity would like to see a shift away from the reimbursement model to the EU directly funding arms contracts and are pushing for such a transition to occur quickly.
When European leaders agreed to Ukraine’s accession talks in December 2023, the historic move was hailed in Kyiv as a recognition of years of struggle to get closer to the bloc since the EuroMaidan Revolution. The agreement came after a European Commission decision in November 2023 recommending talks begin
"But it's not a substitute for American leadership when it comes to security assistance. And that is why it’s so critical for us to continue to urge Congress to pass that national security supplemental," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.
The aid deal includes a provision for a yearly discussion on the package and the potential to review it in two years "if needed," but there is no explicit veto for Hungary or any other member state.
All 27 leaders of EU member states agreed on an additional 50 billion euro support package for Ukraine within the EU budget, European Council President Charles Michel announced on Feb. 1.
The 26 European Union member states are determined to overcome Hungary's objections and move forward with several key priorities for Ukraine in one of the most "complex, complicated, and difficult European Councils."
In total, 78% of Ukrainians would vote to join the EU if a referendum were held now and 77% are in favor of joining NATO, according to a poll released by the Rating Sociology Group on Nov. 29.
The proposed move would help increase the compatibility of Ukraine's parliament with European institutions, Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk said, and would allow Ukrainian lawmakers to observe the operations and functions of the European Parliament.
Nearly two decades after launching his far-right political party, mixing xenophobia with Euroskepticism, Geert Wilders emerged as the winner of the Dutch parliamentary elections on Nov. 22. "The winds of change are here," said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, after potentially receiving one more ally. Wilders' Ukraine-skeptic and anti-immigration Party
Ten years after Ukrainians took to the streets their dissatisfaction with what many saw as a nail into the coffin of the country's European future, the European Council president was in Kyiv promising that Ukraine would soon begin accession talks. "My goal is to do everything to make a positive
The proposed measures will be discussed with EU ambassadors in the upcoming week, Bloomberg said, and with senior EU leadership in December.
Ukraine's parliament passed in the first reading a draft law to increase the staff of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) from 700 to 1,000, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Nov. 21.
Episode #33 is dedicated to Ukraine’s recent successes in its decade-long journey towards the European Union.
The European Commission’s historic decision on Nov. 8 recommending formal talks on Ukraine’s EU membership may be a milestone, but political hurdles, reforms, and years of negotiations still await before the country can finally join. After applying for EU membership on Feb. 28, 2022, just four days after
Ukraine is now one step closer to its strategic goal of becoming a member of the European Union. On Nov. 8, the European Commission published its annual enlargement report. In it, the commission confirmed that Ukraine had completed enough of the steps laid out in seven recommendations it received from
The debate surrounding the European Union’s potential expansion is no longer really about Ukraine and the western Balkans. Enlargement is now an existential question with far-reaching implications for the EU and its ability to remain a prominent player in a rapidly changing global environment. BERLIN – Where will Europe’s
This includes 25 billion euros in military aid and 60 billion euros in humanitarian aid, Borrell said during his visit to Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has travelled to Moldova for a meeting with European leaders as part of the 2nd European Political Community Summit, held on June 1. Zelensky listed military support, security guarantees, Ukraine's peace formula, and NATO and EU membership as important points on the agenda of the ongoing
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine "won't hand over Bakhmut." "We will fight as long as we can," he said during a joint press conference with European Union leadership. According to Zelensky, Russia will soon launch a major offensive in the east and northeast, targeting cities like Bakhmut and Lyman. The
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. BRUSSELS – Almost one year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war is entering a new phase. Following the failed attack on Kyiv
The European Parliament finally approved an 18 billion euro macro-financial aid package to Ukraine on Dec. 14, after striking a deal with Hungary to drop its veto. The parliament employed a so-called "urgent procedure" to allow 26 member states to act as the loan guarantors for Ukraine, relieving Hungary from
From the indiscriminate killings of civilians in Bucha, Izium and Mariupol, to the everyday terror of long-range missile strikes, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has shocked the world in its devastation and brutality. Behind the tragic headlines, Ukrainian state institutions are faced with the mammoth task of documenting and
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - MARCH 01: A demonstrator holds a banner with messages in support of the Ukrainian people during a demonstration in front of the European Parliament on March 01, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. Hundreds of people gathered in front of the European Parliament to show their support for the
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi made their first wartime visit to Kyiv on June 16. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis joined them in Ukraine's capital. The four leaders visited Irpin, a Kyiv suburb, where Russian troops committed atrocities. After their return, Macron,
Ukrainian activists are currently blocking trucks from crossing the border from Poland to Belarus. The activists demanded that the European Union stop its trade with Russia. "Every product and every euro that feeds the Russian economy kills Ukrainians," they said on a Facebook page devoted to the protest. One of
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new proposed financial assistance package of 1.2 billion euros ($1.35 billion) to Ukraine on Jan. 24. “This package will help Ukraine now to address its financing needs due to the conflict,” von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels. The
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