“There is no security in Europe without the security of Ukraine. Diplomatic efforts should build on and strengthen OSCE and UN commitments and obligations.”
HR/VP Josep Borrell, Kyiv, 6 January 2022
The security situation in and around Ukraine has escalated in recent months as a result of Russia’s unusual mobilisation of military troops and equipment. Military manoeuvres were accompanied by heightened rhetoric by Russian senior officials and a spike in information manipulation campaigns. This unprecedented escalation represents a direct threat to Europe and broader European security.
In this context, the EU strongly reiterates its unwavering support to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Any discussion on European and Ukrainian security must include the European Union and Ukraine.
In the first week of 2022, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell visited Kyiv and the line of contact in Stanytsia Luhanska together with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and met with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. This was the first visit by an EU High Representative to the line of contact in Donbas since the outbreak of the conflict in 2014 and and demonstrated the EU’s continued strong stand with Ukraine.
The EU maintains its support to conflict resolution efforts in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy format. However, diplomatic efforts should not be conducted in a climate of escalating rhetoric and ultimatums, which belong to past centuries.
Any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe cost for Russia, as highlighted in the European Council Conclusions from 16 December 2021.
The EU urges Russia to de-escalate tensions caused by its military build-up and aggressive rhetoric. We stand ready to prioritise diplomatic engagements as the only viable and sustainable path towards de-escalation.
The EU coordinates closely and firmly its position with allies and likeminded countries and organisations, in particular the United States, and NATO and within the OSCE.
Highlights of EU action
HR/VP Josep Borrell visit to Ukraine
January 4-6, 2022: High Representative Josep Borrell visited Ukraine to reconfirm EU’s support against external threats.
January 5, 2022: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell at the press conference after meeting the Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
HR/VP’s diplomatic engagement
January 19, 2022: Russia/Ukraine: High Representative Borrell in multilateral coordination talks with US Secretary Blinken, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg and the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office.
February 1, 2022: High Representative Borrell in a joint call with US, NATO and OSCE Chairman-in-Office counterparts.
February 21, 2022:
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1495847000104972292
EU Diplomatic engagements
Engagements with Ukraine
October 12, 2021:
November 30, 2021: High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell met with Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal.
December 1, 2021: HR/VP Borrell meets FM Kuleba at the OSCE Ministerial
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1466374132854140934
December 2, 2021: EU-Ukraine joint discussion on the consequences of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.
December 23, 2021: High Representative Josep Borrell speaks to Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba.
January 12, 2022: High Representative Borrell discussed the evolving situation with Foreign Minister Kuleba
January 27, 2022: https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1486792706991042565
January 19, 2022: Ukraine: High Representative Borrell discussed evolving situation with Foreign Minister Kuleba.
February 12, 2022: Declaration by the HR/VP Josep Borrell on behalf of the EU on diplomatic presence in Kyiv
February 12, 2022:
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1492430670634926082
February 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1495711764742295552
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1495878737589592069
Engagements with the United States
November 11, 2021: President von der Leyen meets President Biden.
December 1, 2021: EEAS Secretary-General Stefano Sannino met with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
December 3, 2021: EU-U.S. Joint Statement by the Secretary of State of the United States of America and the HRVP on Securty and defence.
December 3, 2021: EEAS Secretary-General Stefano Sannino met with US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland. https://twitter.com/UnderSecStateP/status/1466816171714490369
December 22, 2021: European security architecture: High Representative Josep Borrell spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
January 8, 2022: Transatlantic cooperation on Russia and Ukraine: High Representative Josep Borrell spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
January 12, 2022: EEAS Secretary-General Stefano Sannino met with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
January 15, 2022: Russia/Ukraine: Transatlantic coordination continues – HRVP Borrell spoke to US Secretary of State Blinken.
January 24, 2022: Statement from the Commission following the VTC called by US President Joe Biden on the situation relating to Ukraine.
January 26, 2022: https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1486458809665171464
February 7, 2022: The ninth U.S.-EU Energy Council
February 7, 2022: Press remarks by HR/VP Josep Borrell after the meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the margins of the US-EU Energy Council
February 23, 2022:
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1496548615967461381
Engagements with Russia
January 18, 2022: EEAS Deputy Secretary-General/Political Director Mora visits Moscow to discuss foreign policy issues with Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers
February 10, 2022: Statement by the High Representative on the EU response to Minister Lavrov's letters
Engagements with other countries
December 28, 2021: HR/VP Josep Borrell call with Liz Truss, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom.
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1475920627601137666?s=20
January 20, 2022: Canada: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the joint press point with Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.
February 19, 2022:
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1495051911686500352
February 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1495901790080020485
Engagements with NATO
December 1, 2021: HRVP’s doorstep at NATO Foreign Affairs Ministerial meeting (video)
January 4, 2022: High Representative Josep Borrell speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of his visit to Ukraine.
January 12, 2022: NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg debriefs EU Defence ministers at their informal meeting in Brest about the NATO-Russia Council the same day.
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1481397100650938373
January 27, 2022: https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1486657560266649606
Engagements within G7
December 12, 2021: Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Russia and Ukraine
February 19, 2022: G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Russia and Ukraine
OSCE
December 2, 2021: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the 28th Ministerial Council.
February 20, 2022:
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1495434614206312455
United Nations
December 12, 2021: EU Statement – United Nations General Assembly.
Other
October 15, 2021: Statement by the Spokesperson on the census and conscription campaign in Crimea.
November 17, 2021: EU Explanation of Vote – United Nations General Assembly: before the vote on human rights in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine.
November 24, 2021: Statement by the HRVP’s Spokesperson on the Russian decree on simplified trade measures in violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
December 14, 2021: Ukraine/Russia: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP Plenary on the situation at the border.
January 9, 2022: HRVP’s blog: EU support to Ukraine and the security architecture in Europe.
February 16, 2022: Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament on EU-Russia relations, European security and Russia's military threat against Ukraine
February 16, 2022: Remarks by President Charles Michel at the European Parliament debate on EU-Russia relations
February 16, 2022: Russia/Ukraine: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP debate
February 17, 2022: Ukraine: Statement by the High Representative Josep Borrell on the incidents in Stanytsia Luhanska
February 19, 2022: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the situation in eastern Ukraine and the Russian military build-up
February 22, 2022: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the decisions of the Russian Federation further undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
February 24, 2022: Press Statement of President Charles Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission on Russia's unprecedented and uprovoked military aggression of Ukraine
February 24, 2022:
https://twitter.com/JosepBorrellF/status/1496759656391323651
February 24, 2022: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the invasion of Ukraine by armed forces of the Russian Federation
Foreign Affairs Councils
Russia’s military build-up and its security consequences have been a prominent item on the agenda of EU ministers of foreign affairs (19 April – with participation of Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, 6 May, 13 December), as well as the EU Heads of State or Government (European Council, December 16). EU member states remain united in their endorsement for the EU’s political, diplomatic and economic support to Ukraine.
- On 20 May 2021, the Council adopted a decision to extend the mandate of the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine) until 31 May 2024.
- On December 2, as part of broader assistance measures under the European Peace Facility, the Council adopted a support package worth EUR 31 million. The assistance is meant to help enhance the overall resilience of Ukraine and help strengthen the capacities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- On December 13, the Council decided to impose restrictions against the Wagner Group, including for its involvement in Ukraine.
The security of Ukraine will remain central on the agendas of EU defence and foreign affairs ministers in upcoming Council meetings (12-13 January, 13-14 January, 24 January).
January 13, 2022: Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers: Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell.
January 14, 2022: Informal meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers (Gymnich): Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell.
January 24, 2022: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell.
HRVP Josep Borrell will soon put forward a proposal to the EU member states to establish an EU Military Advisory and Training Mission in Ukraine.
February 21, 2022: Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell after the meeting
February 22, 2022: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell after extraordinary informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers
EU restrictive measures
In the broader context of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, EU member states remain united in their commitment to the sanctions targeting specific economic sectors of the Russian Federation, as well as actions deliberately undermining and destabilising the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and restrictions on economic relations with Crimea and Sevastopol. [add link to overview page: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/sanctions/ukraine-crisis/].
October 11, 2021: EU sanctions eight more people over territorial integrity.
December 13, 2021: EU imposes restrictive measures against the Wagner Group.
January 13, 2022: Russia: EU renews economic sanctions over the situation in Ukraine for further six months
February 23, 2022: EU adopts package of sanctions in response to Russian recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and sending of troops into the region
Media outreach
- HRVP blog posts on Ukraine/Russia: 19 December, 9 January, 12 January, 30 January
- HRVP interviews:
- December 12: Deutschlandfunk - Neue Bundesregierung wird die strategische Autonomie Europas unterstützen
- December 26: El Diario - La UE se reivindica ante Biden y Putin: “No puede hablarse de Europa sin Europa”
- December 29: Die Welt - „Nichts wird über uns entschieden, ohne dass wir dabei sind“
- January 4 2022: Polska Agencja Prasowa - EU will react to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, Borrell tells PAP.
- January 10, 2022: BBC Radio 4 “World at One”
- January 12, 2022: Ouest-France - Ukraine. « L’Europe doit se préparer à une confrontation », dit le chef de la diplomatie européenne
- January 24, 2022: CNN's Hala Gorani interviews HR/VP Josep Borrell amid Ukraine crisis
- January 24, 2022: HR/VP Josep Borrell’s interview for Radio Televisión Española (RTVE)
- January 25, 2022: HR/VP Josep Borrell speaks to Sandra Urdín, Radio Nacional de España (RNE) about the situation in Ukraine
- February 2, 2022: HR/VP Borrell’s interview with Dozhd / TV Rain
- February 12, 2022: HR/VP Josep Borrell's interview with Antena3 TV
- February 12, 2022: Intervention de HR/VP Josep Borrell lors de l'émission "Internationales" de TV5MONDE et Le Monde
- February 20, 2022: HR/VP Borrell’s interview with Radio Televisión Española (RTVE)
- February 20, 2022 HR/VP Borrell at Munich Security Conference & Livestream
Find out more details about EU political, diplomatic and economic support to Ukraine
