Recently, there have been talks in the West about the waning of the willingness to support. For example, pro-Russian left-wing populists came to power in Slovakia.
The foreign ministers of the European Union will meet today, Monday, in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. They discuss, among other things, the continuation of the support given to Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia.
It has already been known for a couple of weeks that the meeting of foreign ministers will be held in Kyiv. However, the exact date was kept a secret until the end for security reasons.
It is the first time that the foreign ministers of all member countries meet outside the Union. Finland is represented at the meeting by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen (collect.).
The meeting will be colored by the challenges in the relations between some EU countries and Ukraine.
Western support for Ukraine does continue, but recently there have been signs of waning in the air. This was also brought up by the Prime Minister yesterday, Sunday Petteri Orpo (collect.).
According to Orpo, Europe and the West in general must keep it clear in mind that Ukraine must be helped in every way to win the war against Russia.
In Slovakia, the left-wing populist Smer party won the parliamentary elections at the weekend. Smer has been characterized as openly pro-Russian, although a university teacher of political science at the University of Turku Heino Nyyssönen considers the label given to the party as one-sided.
“Slovakia cannot afford solos”
reporter in Kyiv Maxim Fedorov estimates that the election result in Slovakia will have little effect on Europe’s support for Ukraine. Slovakia’s share of the support is small, and the country’s economy is dependent on the European Union.
– The country can’t really afford solos, but what is of course worrying for Ukraine is that in addition to Slovakia and Hungary, decision-makers who are skeptical of Ukraine may come to power in other European countries. I mean, for example, Poland, Germany or Austria, Fedorov told in the morning.
Poland has already threatened to end arms aid. In addition, some EU countries have imposed import restrictions on Ukrainian grain.
At the same time, Russia has started new invitations. The report of the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, states that 130,000 conscripts will be accepted into the Russian army in the autumn drafts.
According to Fedorov, invitations can also be seen in the territories occupied by Russia.
– The Ukrainian authorities urge everyone who is in danger of falling into the Russian army to flee to the territories controlled by Ukraine.