EU dismisses doubts over long-term commitment to Ukraine in Kyiv meeting

The European Union has brushed aside questions over whether the bloc will remain committed to assisting Ukraine in the long term as schisms over the issue begin to form in the United States and Europe.

A delegation of EU foreign ministers made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Monday, offering an image of cohesion and reiterating their support for the country’s struggle against Russia’s invasion.“The EU remains united in its support to Ukraine. … I don’t see any member state folding on their engagement,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters.

Borrell described the gathering as “historic” but made clear there would be no new concrete announcements.

“It is the first time that we met in a candidate country. And unfortunately, it was also the first time that the foreign ministers of the European Union met in a country at war,” he said at a press conference.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the ministers the duration of the war – now in its 20th month – was linked to the quality and quantity of support Ukraine receives from its allies.

“Our victory directly depends on our cooperation: the more strong and principled steps we take together, the sooner this war will end,” Zelenskyy said in a statement.

To bring about a speedy end to fighting, he urged the EU to expand sanctions on Russia and Iran, which has supplied attack drones for Russian forces. And he called for the “acceleration” of work to direct “frozen Russian assets to finance the restoration of war-torn Ukraine”.