EU to provide around 8 billion euros additional financial aid to Ukraine, says Borrell

As the brutal war continues unabated in Eastern Europe, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell on Wednesday stated that the EU has provided war-torn Ukraine with nearly 9.5 billion euros in financial assistance since the Russian aggression began on February 24. Further, Borrell added that it is currently preparing a fresh package totaling about eight billion euros. In an EU External Action blog, he said, “We are providing humanitarian support and macro-financial assistance, to keep the Ukrainian state afloat.” 

Besides this, Borrell also wrote in his blog that the "best message" the EU can provide on Ukrainian Independence Day and six months after the Russian assault commenced is that, "We will continue to stand with Ukraine."  In order to protect the shared freedom and security, they must be ready to pay a price, he remarked. 

The EU foreign policy chief also emphasised that they have made a formal decision that they want Ukraine to join the EU as a member in the coming days. Due to this conflict, Europe and the EU are undergoing significant change, the blog reads.  

Russia launched a brutal, unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine: Borrell

According to the blog, Borrell said, “Six months ago, Russia launched a brutal, unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine: an attack that was both a crime and a major miscalculation.” He went on to say that Russian President Vladimir Putin believed that Ukraine's government would rapidly disintegrate and its leader would escape. The Russian government also believed that because of its divisions, the EU wouldn't be able to mount a strong defence, he claimed.  

However, the Ukrainian people stood up to the enemy and bravely defended their nation and sovereignty, he said and added that the EU and its allies have demonstrated extraordinary unity and commitment in their support for Ukraine.   

The EU top official highlighted that because of the invasion by Russia, nearly 10 million people have been forced to flee their homes, there have been war crimes, killings, random assaults on schools and hospitals, cynical attacks on wheat farms, and food exports have been weaponized. Despite the latest deal that was mediated by the UN and Turkey, Ukraine's grain exports are still much lower than they were a year ago. 

In the blog, Borrell underlined that Russia has already occupied 20% of Ukrainian land and a substantial portion of the Black Sea coastline. But, as per him, it is now obvious that the battle has progressed to a new stage. Expressing gratitude to the Western nations for providing weapons, he said that Ukraine was able to stop the Russian onslaught and has more recently freed several territories, particularly in the country's south near Kherson. Notably, numerous successful assaults on military installations and ammunition depots located far inside unlawfully occupied territory by Russia have taken place. 

(Image: AP)