EU support for Ukraine slows down amid Russian offensive

European Union support for Ukraine faces challenges growing pitfalls just at a particularly critical moment for the Zelensky Government due to the renewed offensive of Vladimir Putin. This week, the Ukrainian president signed security agreements with Spain, Belgium and Portugal, which, although they offer long-term guarantees, do not respond to kyiv’s most immediate needs.

“The situation on the battlefield is reaching a critical stage. It is not a secret. Russia has opened a new front in the north and is trying to advance towards Kharkiv. At the same time, he is systematically bombing civilian targets, not only in Kharkov, but also in the direction of kyiv. This situation makes our military assistance becomes even more important, crucial, critical. It can make a difference,” said Josep Borrell at the end of the meeting of defense ministers of the 27 held this Tuesday in Brussels.

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A meeting that has not served to resolve any of the fronts that the EU has open in its arms aid to kyiv. On the one hand, Viktor Orbán’s Hungary – Putin’s only remaining ally in Brussels – blocks alone a total of 6.5 billion euros from the European Peace Fund devoted to military aid to Ukraine. An extra allocation of around 1.5 billion from the profits of frozen Russian assets will arrive at the Fund in the coming weeks, but This money cannot be used either if Budapest does not lift its veto.

“We cannot accept that a single countrywhich also subscribed this amount a few months ago at a summit of heads of state and government, now block this crucial aid for Ukraine,” complains the Belgian Foreign Minister, Hadja Lahbib, echoing the “growing frustration” against Hungary among the rest of the European partners. Decisions on foreign policy and defense require the unanimous support of the 27 member countries.

Budapest justifies its veto by “the problems that Hungarian companies have in Ukraine and the way in which Ukraine treats Hungarian minorities”, issues that have nothing to do with defense, according to Borrell. “They have the right to defend their national interest, but there has to be proportionality between the way you defend your interests and the consequences of the decisions you are blocking,” said the High Representative for Foreign Policy.

For their part, the member states have been unable to give up the seven Patriot missile batteries that Zelensky demands to reinforce their air defenses, despite the fact that countries such as Spain, Greece, Sweden or Poland have them in their arsenal. “Russia drops bombs from its planes. “If Ukraine had enough advanced Patriot systems, these planes would not be able to get close enough to drop these aerial bombs on civilians,” the Ukrainian president said. during his visit to Madrid.

Only Germany has agreed to give a third Patriot missile battery to kyiv. Other Member States have put in extra money, radars or ammunition, but not batteries. “More air defense systems are urgently needed in Ukraine“said the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenbergwho has also participated in the meeting of defense ministers of the 27. The EU is also very behind in the delivery of ammunition: Of the million projectiles that the Czech president promised to obtain in February from non-EU suppliers, only 46,000 will arrive at the end of June.

The penultimate reason for division between member states is Zelensky’s request to be allowed use Western weaponry to attack targets on Russian territory. A request that has been explicitly supported by Stoltenberg and that also has the sympathy of Borrell, who considers that kyiv is in a “completely asymmetrical” situation if it cannot respond to attacks that come from Russian territory.

“The right to self-defense also includes attacking targets outside Ukraine and legitimate military objectives inside Russia. And this is particularly relevant now. Because the most intense fighting is now taking place in the Kharkiv region, near the Ukrainian-Russian border. And part of the border is actually the front line,” alleges the NATO Secretary General.

The Baltic countries are in favor of eliminating any type of restriction on the use of weapons by Ukraine. But Germany, Italy and Belgium insist that the equipment they send to kyiv can only be used on Ukrainian territory. The Minister of Defense, Margaret Robleshas refused to speak to the press although he had announced an appearance. Borrell has said that it is up to each country to decide the restrictions it imposesgiven that there is no common position in the EU.

“We have decided from the beginning that all Italian military equipment cannot be used outside the borders of Ukraine,” the Foreign Minister said this Monday in Brussels, Antonio Tajaniwhich alleges that “we are not at war with Russia”. For his part, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, who has announced the shipment of 30 F-16 fighter planes to Ukraine (with a first batch arriving this year), makes it clear that all this military aid can only be used “on Ukrainian territory.”

EU defense ministers agree to continue their mission to train Ukraine’s armed forces, which has already trained 50,000 soldiers. But They disagree on whether it is wise to send military instructors to kyiv, something that Emmanuel Macron’s Government is considering. “There is no clear European position on this,” Borrell admitted.

“Every delay in military support has real consequences. And these consequences are measured in human lives, damage to infrastructure or more setbacks on the battlefield for Ukraine,” warns the head of EU diplomacy.