Sybiha at EU Council meeting: Now is time to arm as quickly and effectively as possible
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on European partners to strengthen their own defense capabilities.
According to Censor.NET, he said this during an online participation in a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union.
Sybiha welcomed a number of important initiatives aimed at strengthening European defense capabilities and emphasized that Ukraine will play a key role in these efforts.
"Now we need the same new speed of European decision-making," he emphasized.
He also welcomed the importance of Ursula von der Leyen's ReArm Europe plan, the new initiative of EU diplomat Kaja Kallas to strengthen military support for Ukraine, and the creation of the Coalition of the Willing led by France and the United Kingdom.
The Foreign Minister also hopes for an active role of the new German leadership.
"Now is the time to arm ourselves. To strengthen the defense capabilities of Ukraine and the rest of Europe. As soon as possible and as efficiently as possible. Ukraine and Europe, armed to the teeth, will be able to keep Russia from a new big war," he explained.
Sybiha also called on European partners to make every effort to increase military assistance to Ukraine as soon as possible, fill critical gaps, invest in the Ukrainian defense sector, and expand funding for their own defense.
This, he said, will benefit the whole of Europe in the long run.
The minister emphasized the importance of accelerating all EU political processes, including the critical importance of removing obstacles to the opening of Cluster 1, Fundamental Issues, in the EU accession process.
"Ukraine's accession to the EU and the path to peace are directly linked," the Minister said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also emphasized the importance of using sanctions pressure as a lever of influence on Moscow and strengthening sanctions pressure. Sanctions policy should be a key element of European security.
The minister also suggested applying smaller and more frequent packages targeting specific sectors, such as the military, banking, nuclear energy, and others.
In this context, the Foreign Minister emphasized the need to strengthen control over energy sanctions and stated that there are all legal grounds to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine right now.
