EU is ready to provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees, - Bloomberg
The European Union is ready to provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees, which will include military support, training of military personnel and assistance in the development of the country’s defense industry.
The relevant document will be discussed by EU ambassadors this week, and bloc leaders next month. This was reported by the Bloomberg agency, which managed to get acquainted with the draft of the document, Censor.NET reports. Also, this paper should become the basis of Kyiv's consultations with the G7 countries.
Security guarantees that the European Union is ready to provide include:
- "Predictable, effective, sustainable and long-term mechanism for providing Ukraine with military equipment", mobilizing the European defense industry.
- Training for Ukrainian military personnel.
- Greater cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry to increase capacity and harmonize standards.
- Increasing the ability of Ukraine to resist cyber threats, hybrid threats, and disinformation.
- Support for Ukraine's efforts to clear mines and eliminate pollution caused by explosives.
- Assistance to Ukraine with the reform program related to the accession to the EU. Enhancing Ukraine's ability to control stockpiles of firearms, light weapons, and ammunition and to counter any illicit arms circulation.
- Supporting Ukraine's energy transition and nuclear security efforts.
- Exchange of intelligence data and satellite images.
The document states that weapons will continue to be provided to Ukraine through the European Peace Mechanism. It provides that EU member states receive compensation for the weapons they provide to Ukraine.
At the same time, a European diplomat told Bloomberg that the EU's plan to allocate 20 billion euros for weapons for Kyiv within 4 years is in danger, because some states, in particular, Germany, could not agree on the terms of allocation of these funds. Instead, EU member states hope to agree on at least an allocation of 5 billion euros next year.
Bloomberg notes that the discussion of security guarantees will take place against the backdrop of stalling negotiations on long-term aid to Ukraine, as well as the fact that the EU cannot fulfill its promise to provide Kyiv with 1 million artillery ammunition by March 2024.
