Borrell: EU gave 'highest figure ever' of $28.9bn total to Ukraine
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Josep Borrell speaks of the EU's agenda and says that amid the regional tension in the Middle East and the war on Gaza, member states should not “forget about Ukraine.”
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European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, on Nov. 13, 2023. (AP)
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced that the bloc has authorized at least €27 billion ($28.9 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine since last year - calling it the "highest figure ever reached."
Before the EU meeting in Brussels on Monday, Borrell spoke of the agenda and said that amid the regional tension in the Middle East and the war on Gaza, member states should not "forget about Ukraine."
"Our support is increasing. I can tell you that it has reached the level of €27 billion of military support," he said, adding: "It is the highest figure ever reached. We continue training Ukrainian soldiers. We continue being behind Ukraine."
The EU has been endeavoring to uphold its commitment by requesting national armies to contribute ammunition from their reserves, Borrell mentioned, noting that the EU secured "something more than 300,000 shots" through these efforts.
In light of sending more aid to Ukraine, some member states such as Hungary are starting to strongly oppose the continuous act of doing so. According to senior diplomats cited by Reuters last week, Germany "has had a lot of questions" regarding a €20 billion spending plan preferred by Borrell, as other nations may be reserved amid "the reality of the public finances."
Read more: Ukraine sold its sovereignty for Western money, weapons, Orban says
'Special funds' for 'special' Ukraine
Alongside Hungary, Slovakia publicly declared ending aid to Ukraine and France announced its intention to minimize aid to Ukraine after Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu stated it would no longer provide from its own stockpiles and that Ukraine would have to purchase equipment from private companies "using money from a special fund."
Slovakian former Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is currently in the parliamentary elections, has also publicly declared that he will not support Ukraine's accession to NATO. Campaigning under "Not a single round" for Kiev, Fico has put Western states on their toes.
Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto even said that his country would veto the 12th sanctions package by the EU if it targets Russian gas, oil, or nuclear energy.
According to Szijjarto, any restrictions on those who have done good to Hungary by "saving the lives of Hungarians, for example through making it possible that we could buy vaccines," or contributing to its energy supply will be opposed.
Announced earlier this year, the EU plans to deliver 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine by next March but it is currently struggling to do so and Bloomberg reports it has given merely 30% of the total.
Borrell also argued that the EU may "not reach [the target] by the end of the year," but underlined that member states have "gone onto the production [of ammunition]," and that "the lines have started working."
"It will depend on how quickly the contracts will be implemented and the factories will produce," he added, noting: "The goal is to increase capacity."
