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Ukraine, head of the European Council Antonio Costa on Russia's nuclear threats: they are unacceptable

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– Ukrainian sovereignty must be respected, said the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, on Sunday in Kiev. He also said that Russian nuclear threats cannot be accepted.

– Sovereignty Ukraineits territorial integrity and its own borders must be respected. We must make it clear that the use of nuclear threats is unacceptable and can never be questioned, he said at a press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

On Saturday, in an interview with the TASS propaganda agency, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that the possible resumption by Russia nuclear test explosions is “an open question in the face of US hostile policy”.

The President of the European Council also said in Kiev that “Russia's reckless and deliberate attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and energy systems are inhumane.” – Such actions are aimed at people, children, families and deprive them of electricity, heat and water – he said.

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President of the European Council Antonio Costa in Kiev SERGEY DOLZHENKO/PAP/EPA

READ also: New heads of diplomacy of the EU and the European Council visit Kiev

15th package of sanctions against Russia

Costa announced later this month European Union will provide Ukraine with an additional EUR 4.5 billion of budget support.

– In addition, starting next month, we plan to provide EUR 1.5 billion in aid every month throughout the year – he said. As he explained, these funds “come from income from Russian assets and can also be used for military purposes.”

The President of the European Council announced that the EU is preparing the 15th package of sanctions against Russia. He also said that the European Union and Ukraine will work together to open at least two chapters in the negotiations on Ukraine's European integration in the first half of next year.

Zelensky: EU financial assistance will support Ukraine's budgetary stability

President Zelensky, for his part, noted that EU financial assistance will significantly support Ukraine's budgetary stability. He also commented on the use of Russian assets for Ukraine.

– From a political point of view, everything has already been secured so that the funds from Russian assets will actually start helping Ukraine, so separate financial mechanisms should start operating in January, and this is fundamental for Ukraine – Russian assets should work to defend against Russian aggression – said the head of the Ukrainian countries.

New representatives of the European Union institutions – the head of EU diplomacy Kaja Kallas, the head of the European Council Antonio Costa and the commissioner for enlargement Marta Kos – arrived in Kiev together on Sunday, on the first day of their office.

Main photo source: PAP/EPA/Vladyslav Musiienko



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