EU Foreign Minister in Kyiv
Zelenskyj uses extraordinary solidarity visit
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Europe stands united towards Ukraine – this signal should come from a visit by the EU foreign ministers to Kiev. For the Ukrainian president, the meeting offers an opportunity to hold Europe accountable.
With an extraordinary solidarity visit to Kiev, the foreign ministers of 24 of the 27 EU member states pledged their long-term support to Ukraine – and reaffirmed the country’s prospects of accession. The aim is to “express our solidarity and our support for the Ukrainian people,” said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Ukraine’s future lies in the EU, which will soon extend “from Lisbon to Luhansk.” With every meter that Ukraine liberates, it paves its way into the EU, said the Green politician.
The EU foreign policy chief Borrell called the meeting on the online service X a “historic meeting” and the first of its kind outside the EU. Ukraine is a “candidate and future member” of the alliance of states.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the foreign ministers present to show solidarity with his country. Ukraine’s victory depends “directly” on cooperation between Kiev and its Western allies, Zelensky said. He is sure that “Ukraine and the entire free world” can win the confrontation with Russia.
Zelensky called on EU states to impose further sanctions on Iran, which supplies combat drones to Russia – and called for frozen Russian assets to be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Kuleba called on Western allies to show unity. It is “Russian President Vladimir Putin’s greatest hope” that “the West and the world will tire of siding with Ukraine in this war.” Russia is spending “enormous resources” on this. “But we shouldn’t play their game,” Kuleba said.
“Winter protection umbrella” for Ukraine
Baerbock also insisted on special support for Ukraine in the cold months. In view of the falling temperatures, Ukraine now needs a “winter protection umbrella” that also includes air defense. “I saw what the protective shield did in Kiev. We now have to mobilize that (again) for the entire country,” said Baerbock in the evening on ZDF’s “heute journal”.
Following the Russian attack on Ukraine, the EU granted Ukraine EU candidate status last year. The conditions for joining include, among other things, the fight against corruption.
The EU heads of state and government will discuss on Friday in Granada, Spain, the start of accession talks by the end of the year, as requested by Ukraine. The EU Commission wants to make a recommendation by the beginning of November at the latest. A decision should then be made at the Brussels summit in mid-December. The decision requires unanimity from all 27 EU countries.
Hungary, Poland and Latvia fit
Meanwhile, the chief diplomats of three member states were missing from the meeting in Kiev. According to a Ukrainian government official, the foreign ministers of Hungary, Poland and Latvia did not travel to Kiev. The representatives of Poland and Latvia were also said to be ill.
There was initially no explanation for the absence of the Hungarian representative. In recent months, the Hungarian government has repeatedly sent pro-Russian signals to the Kremlin. Last week, right-wing conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke of “very long and difficult questions” with a view to Ukraine joining the EU before negotiations could even begin.
There are also tensions between Ukraine and some of its key supporters in Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, over the import of Ukrainian grain into these countries. Against this background, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the EU to allow exports across the Black Sea “to the full extent” again. If the EU and Ukraine worked “jointly” on its security, grain exports from Ukraine to the world via the Black Sea could function “in full” and “without Russia’s participation.”
