Borrell expects $5.4 Billion from EU states in annual aid to Ukraine

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
30 Aug 2023 23:36
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The EU Foreign Affairs chief cited the number expected by EU states to contribute on an annual basis to Ukraine was more of a ceiling rather than a spending target.

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell speaks during a press conference on September 21, 2022. (AP)

On Wednesday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell stated that he expects to obtain an agreement with EU members on the provision of up to $5.4 billion in military aid to Ukraine by the end of 2023.

In a joint press conference with Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles in Toledo, Spain, Borrell expressed that Ukraine is in need of "long-term, sustainable, and predictable military assistance," citing it as important for the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

In a bid to regain lost ground, Ukraine launched a much-anticipated counteroffensive in early June. However, the Russian Defense Ministry has asserted that Ukrainian forces have struggled to make advances along three specific directions: South Donetsk, Bakhmut, and Zaporozhye, with the latter being of primary concern.

Despite the fact that Ukraine's counteroffensive is moving more slowly than anticipated, Ukraine continues to reject the option of freezing the battle.

Borrell expressed that the number he presented is a ceiling rather than a spending target.

The topic was discussed by the EU defense ministers during the meeting, and it will be brought again in the foreign ministers' meeting on Thursday, according to Borrell, who hoped that an agreement would be reached "as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the United States is confident in its ability to provide assistance to Ukraine through the end of the fiscal year.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed, on Tuesday, that the new military package worth $250 million will be comprised of AIM-9M, Javelin missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) missiles, and three million small caliber rounds.

NATO-based military contractors fail Ukraine despite hefty payments

This comes as defense companies in NATO nations that have signed weapons and military equipment contracts worth millions of dollars with Ukraine have failed to deliver.

In 2022, Alfa, a Polish company, signed contracts with Kiev worth approximately $95 million. However, as Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov confirmed, earlier on Tuesday, Alfa has so far failed to act on these contracts.

Reznikov stated that "this firm is indeed one of the foreign companies that signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense," and despite the multiple arbitration claims that have already been filed against Alfa, Kiev saw no deliverables.

According to the Minister, "There are many such firms, and, unfortunately, not all of them were able to fulfill the signed contracts, even the influential players in the market," adding that "there are also Ukrainian firms that didn't deliver promised supplies and American ones."

The Minister even revealed that Alfa "offered us [Ukraine] other types of projectiles; we are now studying whether they are suitable for us. And then we will either have them delivered, or we will demand the advance payment to be returned."

This revelation comes at a time when the Ukrainian government has been scrambling for equipment and weapons to continue its counteroffensive which has so far not made any significant change in the power balance of the war in Ukraine as it was initially anticipated.

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?