The meeting of EU foreign ministers also promoted the use of funds seized from Russia for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The EU’s meeting of foreign ministers has decided to raise the funding ceiling of the peace fund supporting Ukraine by two billion euros.
– This ensures the continuation of the EU’s armed support to Ukraine, the foreign minister who represented Finland at the meeting Pekka Haavisto said.
According to Haavisto, the meeting continued the planning of the previously agreed EU aid mission to Ukraine. Finland plans to participate in the operation.
The EU is about to decide on the ninth round of sanctions against Russia. According to Haavisto, sanctions will be increased especially against persons and institutions that have participated in financing the Russian military operation.
In its press conference, Haavisto did not want to name the entities that will be on the list, so that they would not have time to transfer their funds before the sanctions come into effect.
Haavisto characterized the forced assembly as a sizeable one.
The foreign ministers of the member states also discussed the possibility of using funds frozen from Russia to support Ukraine. The matter will be discussed at the EU summit from the end of the week.
Haavisto considers the issue legally challenging.
– In order for the frozen funds to be taken over and distributed to Ukraine, a court decision is needed, he said.
According to Haavisto, the foreign ministers also discussed a possible aggression criminal court that would investigate Russia’s illegal military actions in Ukraine.
– Finland welcomed the discussion, Haavisto said.
He stated, however, that the EU cannot establish the said court alone, but it must be done in cooperation with the United States and the UN.
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The EU is planning a harsh punishment: Russians’ frozen money, apartments and vehicles for Ukraine – “Yes, Russia would try to react to that”
Russian companies are struggling under the shadow of sanctions and business suspension – a Moscow economist: The big ship is sinking slowly
You can read the latest news about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in this article