The EU’s foreign ministers discussed the armament of Ukraine in their informal meeting. The meeting was moved from Budapest to Brussels as a punishment for Hungary’s Victor Orbán.
BRUSSELS Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba demands that Ukraine must be able to attack Russia’s military territories with long-range weapons supplied by Western countries.
Kuleba sought support for his demand from the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
– I emphasize that these are legal military targets deep in Russia. We are talking especially about the airbases that Russia uses to launch bombs towards Ukrainian troops and civilians, Kuleba said when he arrived at the meeting.
High representative of the EU’s foreign and security policy Joseph Borrell supported Ukraine’s bid.
– The weapons we deliver to Ukraine must be properly put to use and the restrictions must be removed so that the Ukrainians can strike the places from which Russia is bombing them.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen (collector) said that Finland’s position on the use of weapons has been clear from the beginning.
– The defense material we hand over does not have any restrictions on how Ukraine uses it, only international law, of course.
For example, Britain and the United States have restricted the use of long-range missiles in particular. They are afraid of ending up as parties to the war. Some EU countries also have reservations about the use of their weapons.
According to Kuleba, it has become clear that Russia does not react to the crossing of some borders, as Western countries have feared.
Ukraine unexpectedly attacked Russia in the Kursk region in the summer. Western weaponry was also used in it.
– Contrary to all expectations, we have shown those who said that the war is deadlocked and that you cannot win.
According to Kuleba, Ukraine’s success in Kursk shows that Russia can be defeated and that the strategy is not wrong.
Weapons promised to Ukraine are not included
Kuleba also criticized Western countries for the fact that it takes time to get armaments, and you can’t count on getting them at all.
The countries announce armed aid, but there is no actual delivery. Patriot anti-aircraft systems are especially needed in Ukraine.
The informal meeting of foreign ministers was supposed to be chaired by the Hungarian capital, Budapest, but as punishment the Hungarian prime minister Victor Orbán about soloing, many informal meetings are held in Brussels.
Orbán angered the member states by visiting Moscow at the very beginning of his presidency to meet with President Putin.