On Thursday, Ukraine’s President urged European Union leaders to fulfill their promises to provide military equipment to his war-torn country, as the EU pledged long-term support for Kyiv’s government.
“Every promise matters, not just for saving lives but to dispel Russia’s illusion of achieving anything through war,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told leaders at an EU summit in Brussels.
Analysts say Russian forces aim to capitalize on their current advantage in troop numbers and weaponry before Ukraine’s forces are strengthened by new Western military aid, some of which is slowly reaching the front lines.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to countries that have pledged equipment, weapons, and ammunition but emphasized the urgent need for these supplies on the battlefield. He also called for more assistance, specifically in air defense.
Zelenskyy and the EU leaders signed a 12-page document of “joint security commitments,” summarizing the 27-nation bloc’s financial, military, and other support since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The EU commits to the “predictable, efficient, sustainable, and long-term provision of military equipment,” military training, building Ukraine’s defense sector, and enhanced cooperation on cyber and hybrid threats, including information manipulation and interference.
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The document also includes commitments to assist with mine clearance, security and law enforcement reform, energy security, nuclear safety, rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure, hospitals, and buildings, and holding those suspected of war crimes accountable.
Ukraine, in return, promised to uphold European values and continue its reform path to join the EU, including ensuring civilian control over its security and defense forces, and boosting transparency and accountability in its use of EU assistance.
Several countries already have similar bilateral agreements with Ukraine, including a long-term commitment from the U.S. signed by Zelenskyy and President Joe Biden earlier this month, set to last for the next decade.
The EU’s agreement coincides with the start of membership talks with Ukraine, a decade after Russia seized Crimea to deter Ukraine from moving closer to the West, initiating the current conflict.
“We waited a long time for this,” Zelenskyy told reporters, thanking the EU for its approval.
The EU remains concerned about rampant corruption in Ukraine, which must be addressed before the country can join. The accession process is expected to take several years.
