The European Union, not the United States, is responsible for most of the aid to Ukraine, said Valdis Dombrovskis, deputy head of the European Commission, referring to the support package for Ukraine being prepared by the American Congress. He noted, however, that he was “waiting for good news” regarding the American law on this matter.
Referring to Israel's recent repulse of an attack by Iran, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told Italian television SkyTg24: “It seems that the strategy of our partners in Israel is to prevent losses and deaths, and that is why they found a way to intercept and shoot down effectively Iranian missiles.
– In Ukraine, their strategy so far seems to be to help us recover from losses. Our task today is to find a way through which our partners will plan a mechanism that will avoid deaths and destruction also in Ukraine, he noted.
When asked about further sanctions that the G7 intends to impose on Iran, Kuleba stated: “Ukraine is bombarded every day by drones made in Iran. But Russia is now producing Iranian drones in Russia.” – So what matters to us today are sanctions and other steps that will stifle Russia's ability to produce drones and missiles – he emphasized.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on the X platform after the meeting with Kuleba that he confirmed the US commitment to supporting Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration goals and its fight against Russian aggression.
Dombrovskis: the EU provides most of the aid to Ukraine, not the US
Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis addressed the issue of aid to Ukraine during a meeting with journalists at the EU embassy in Washington.
He said that support for Kiev was one of the main topics of his talks during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as his meetings in Congress and with the head of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell.
– It is the European Union, not the US, that is responsible for most of the aid to Ukraine, he said. – We are currently on a cliff edge on this issue and it is important that we stay the course. This is important not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire rules-based world order, added the Latvian politician.
Ukrainian armyGeneral Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Facebook
Asked for comment on Congress potentially unblocking US aid for Ukraine, he replied that he was “hoping and waiting for good news” this week. He referred to the provision in the package stating that US support cannot constitute more than 50%. all aid to Ukraine, noting that the European Union bears most of the burden in this matter.
– If there is such a provision, in a sense it is good, because maybe it will be a goal for the United States to significantly increase its aid, Dombrovskis said.
He recalled that this year alone, the EU will spend EUR 15.9 billion on financial assistance for Ukraine, of which EUR 6 billion will come from the multi-annual fund established this year, worth a total of EUR 50 billion. In addition, there is PLN 3 billion in income from frozen Russian assets, of which approximately 20 percent will be spent on military aid, he added. – Europe is certainly doing what it has to do, he noted.
Main photo source: General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Facebook