Informal EU Leaders’ meeting in Versailles: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell upon arrival

11.03.2022
Versailles

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We are going to increase with another €500 million our contribution to the military support to Ukraine. Yesterday I proposed this to the [European] Leaders. And the European Peace Facility will double its support with an additional €500 [milllion] more.

Q. Was it hard to convince Member States to support this expansion of the [European] Peace Facility?

No, not at all. Everybody was completely aware that we have to increase our military support to Ukraine, to continue putting pressure on Russia and to increase our military support to Ukraine. So, €500 million more.

Q. Are there other sanctions that you are considering?

We are going to continue looking into it. 

Q. [Will this go] through the European Peace Facility, can you confirm that? And when will the Ukrainians get their money?

The Council has to agree this morning, but yes, I made the proposal to double our contribution, with €500 million more on military [equipment] for the Ukrainian armed forces and to continue thinking about more sanctions to the oligarchs and to the Russian economy. To support the Ukrainian military with €500 million more and to continue putting pressure on Russia. This is what we are going to do, and I am sure that the [European] Leaders will approve it this morning. 

And it is going to be done immediately. Now it flows quickly.

Q. How difficult is to unite Europe these days?

On that issue, not at all.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-221308 

Peter Stano
Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
+32 (0)460 75 45 53