The High Representative of the European Union for foreign policy and security policy, Josep Borrell, states that the partners who supply arms to Ukraine should, at its request, lift the restrictions on their use on the territory of Russia.
He announced this on Thursday in Brussels, arriving at an informal meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the EU member states together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba.
“Air defense systems were critically important (for Ukraine) until the summer, but they are even more important today. I am sure that you will explain to us, – Borrell said, addressing Kuleba, – why we need to leave restrictions on the use of weapons against Russian military targets. In accordance with international law, I made a statement in support of this decision in the summer: the weapons we supply to Ukraine must be used to their full extent, and the restrictions must be lifted so that the Ukrainians can target the places where Russia is bombing Ukraine. Ukraine is asking for this, and today will be an important moment for everyone to understand why.”
Borrell noted that “by launching an attack on the territory of Russia, the Ukrainians showed a lot of audacity.” “This operation in Kursk dealt a blow to Putin’s stories about this war. This is important strategic news, but at the same time Russia continues to attack civilians and civilian infrastructure. On Monday, August 26, Russia launched an airstrike with more than 300 missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities, targeting critical energy infrastructure. It is obvious that Russia wants to completely destroy the electrical system of Ukraine in order to plunge Ukraine into darkness and cold for the next winter,” he described the situation.
Borrell also recalled that the EU began to use the windfall from frozen Russian assets that had already been given to Ukraine. “With this money, we will provide more military equipment to Ukraine. This is important because for the first time we are directly financing Ukrainian industry. We provide financing to Ukrainians to operate their own industrial facilities. EUR1.4 billion has already been sent,” the senior representative detailed.
He also expressed his belief that the EU should be more active in the diplomatic arena in terms of supporting the Peace Plan of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi. “That’s why the first point of our very tense meeting today will be about military support for Ukraine, a diplomatic approach, lifting restrictions and increasing our support for these brave people who surprised the world by launching an attack on Russia, showing that Putin’s narrative is completely false,” Borrell added. .
In turn, Kuleba stated that the first message he arrived with was quite simple – “long-term security for Europe begins with short-term bold decisions for Ukraine.” “We have proven that we can defeat Russia, we have proven it again, contrary to everyone who said that there is a stalemate, that Ukraine cannot win, that Russia will eventually succeed, and that the strategy must therefore be revised. These arguments were defeated as successfully as the Russian forces in Kursk,” he said.
According to Kuleba, the partners should make bold decisions, namely, to allow Ukraine to carry out legal strikes on legitimate military targets deep in Russia.” “Here we are mainly talking about the airfields that Russia uses to launch its bombers, strategic bombers and tactical bombers to attack Ukrainian armed forces, to attack Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. If we are armed with enough missiles, if we are allowed to strike, we will greatly reduce Russia’s ability to damage our critical infrastructure, and we will improve the situation for our forces. Therefore, those who may try to accuse Ukraine of insufficient success should always remember that Russia’s success depends on one thing – the readiness of its partners to make bold decisions: if the decision is made, Ukraine is successful on the ground, if they do not make it, then do not complain about Ukraine, complain about yourselves,” the minister is convinced.
In addition, Kuleba announced that he intends to raise the issue of the gap between the announcement of military aid and its actual delivery. “Sometimes these gaps are too big, you can’t do military planning, you can’t calculate what you can count on on the battlefield. We have done our part, significantly increased the production of weapons and ammunition in Ukraine, and we appreciate the help that is coming in, but now we have to step up another way of helping, which is investment in the Ukrainian defense industrial base – the cheapest and most effective way to help secure Ukraine ammunition and weapons means investing in the production of these goods in Ukraine,” he explained.
The Ukrainian side will also raise the issue of air defense. “When we requested more Patriot systems in April, good progress was made, but again there were announcements that were not fulfilled. We, like you, are entering the school year, we have to protect our cities, we have to protect our children, so I will strongly urge all partners who have made a commitment to finally install these systems,” said Kuleba.
He also intends to discuss “other commitments and other supplies that may be made because Russia will not stop its massive missile attacks on Ukraine”, and will inform member states about the progress made by Ukraine in the process of joining the EU, reminding that not so long ago Ukraine ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
