EU will finance more weapons for Ukraine and considers sanctioning Russian energy

The foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) gave their political agreement on Monday to finance with another 500 million euros weapons for Ukraine to defend itself from the Russian invader, and decided to continue exploring new sanctions against Moscow that could affect energy exports, specifically oil or coal.

The high representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, announced at a press conference after the Council of Community Ministers the “political agreement” to use another 500 million euros from the European Fund in Support of Peace (FEAP) for Ukraine, a decision that will have to be formalized later.

The Spanish politician explained that the ministers today analyzed the situation in Ukraine and agreed to continue making decisions.

“The conclusions were very clear. All Member States are extraordinarily united in support of Ukraine”, declared Borrell, who insisted that the Russian forces are committing “war crimes” and “violations of international law” with its invasion.

“What is happening in Ukraine is a massive war crime” by the Russian forces against the Ukrainian people, he added.

The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, considered for his part in a press conference that “the aggression against Ukraine affects all of us” and “it is an affront against the entire population, the international order, human rights, and puts the stability of the region at risk.”

According to Borrell, the EU will continue to provide financial and humanitarian support to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Although the Council was not expected to take a legal decision today on the extension of the use of FEAP for Ukraine, at a political level the measure was prepared and no Member State questioned the need to continue providing that country with weapons and military supplies, according to community sources. .

Next, the Council must continue the legal procedure so that it can materialize.

Asked about the possibility of the EU adopting new sanctions against Russia, beyond the four rounds of restrictive measures that have hit its economy and power circles hard, Borrell stated that “some Member States have raised energy-related issues”, but stressed that “today was not decision day”.

“It is not that one, two or three are for or against, it is about achieving an effective response that does not mean an unaffordable cost for the Member States”, he commented.

Several countries alluded today to the possibility of vetoing trade in Russian oil or coal, while gas is a more delicate issue due to the great dependence that different Member States have on that fuel.

In any case, Borrell pointed out that the EU leaders, when they meet at their summit on Thursday and Friday, “They will consider again what can be done in terms of sanctions.”

“I don’t think there will be a formal decision on a sanctions package, but certainly the European Council will give guidelines on how to develop the future”, he indicated.

strategic compass

The Foreign Ministers, in a joint session with their Defense counterparts, also approved today the new defense strategy with which the EU wants to gain autonomy to become a provider of security for its citizens and at an international level, investing more and more coordinated way in capacities.

Presented by Borrell last November, the document, known as “Strategic Compass”, had to be modified while the Twenty-seven negotiated it to take into account the effect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and better prepare the EU for events such as a war on European soil.

In this way, the EU provides itself with a “ambitious plan of action” to strengthen its security and defense policy between now and 2030 with specific objectives and deadlines, and to have more capacity to act and collaborate with its partners to safeguard its values ​​and interests.

Borrell considered that its approval represents a “turning point” and that, although it does not constitute “an answer” to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “comes at a very important moment because we certainly need to increase our security and defense capabilities”.

He recalled that the EU invests 200,000 million euros in military spending, “almost four times more than Russia, but not with the same efficiency”, and as much as China, although “27 different parts are certainly not the same as an integrated military structure”.

For this reason, starting from the basis that Europe “Is in danger”, he hoped that the new strategy will help the EU to overcome gaps and avoid overlaps to do more together, in coordination with NATO and its international partners.

“Solidarity between Member States is reflected in article 42.7 of the EU Treaty”, highlights the document in its preamble, a line that has been added in the final stretch of its negotiation, and which highlights the willingness of the Member States to defend each other against threats.

For Albares, this white paper on European defense “commitment to a comprehensive approach, diplomatic, civil, military, to prevent and respond to crisis situations”, and in your opinion “It is a first step so that Europe’s voice can definitely be heard strongly in the world.”