There is political agreement among EU countries to agree on an additional € 500 million in military assistance to Ukraine in the near future.

This was reported by Deutsche Welle with reference to two high-ranking officials in the EU.

According to them, the EU foreign and defense ministers will discuss the issue at their meeting on March 21, but they will not agree on it on that day, as Germany needs the consent of the Bundestag to approve additional expenditures, and the German parliament is scheduled for March 23. . The approval of an additional € 500 million in the EU requires the consent of all 27 Member States.

“We expect the EU member states to fully recognize the importance of continuing military assistance to Ukraine. We expect the EU Council to approve the proposal of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Josep Borrell, ed.) Very soon,” the EU official said. , referring to Borrell’s offer to double Ukraine’s military assistance at the informal EU summit in Versailles.

“The decision will not be made on Monday… But I think there is a political agreement that we need to do more,” he added.

“No EU member state questions the need to continue military supplies to Ukraine. There is complete political unity in this regard,” said another high-ranking EU official.

As you know, in late February, the EU decided to allocate 500 million euros to provide the Armed Forces with lethal weapons and ammunition under the European Peace Facility. This was the first such decision in the history of the European Union.

According to the interlocutor of Deutsche Well, a special center set up in Brussels to coordinate military aid to Ukraine has received applications from EU countries in the amount of more than 500 million. The center has so far approved applications for a smaller amount, but a high-ranking EU official expects that all funds will be exhausted soon, so the next tranche is needed.

No details on military assistance to Ukraine in the European Union are disclosed for security reasons.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden announced additional $ 800 million in additional defense assistance to Ukraine .

It will include 800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 2,000 Javelins, 1,000 light anti-tank guns and 6,000 AT-4 anti-tank systems, 100 tactical drones, 100 grenade launchers, 5,000 rifles, 1,000 pistols, 400 machine guns and 400 rifles, more than 20 million rounds of ammunition and grenade launchers. mortar shots; 25,000 sets of body armor. as well as 25,000 helmets.

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