The summit between the European Union and Ukraine, initially scheduled in Brussels, will take place on February 3 in kyiv, without the presence of the heads of state and government of the member states, the Ukrainian presidency announced on Monday.
The change of location follows a telephone conversation between the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
However, the heads of state and government will not be present at the meeting, but only von der Leyen and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel.
This information had already been confirmed in December by a spokesman for Charles Michel, reported the Europa Press agency.
The announcement ends speculation about Zelensky’s possible trip abroad after his surprise visit to Washington in December.
Zelensky’s office explained that the telephone conversation with Von der Leyen also discussed the situation on the combat fronts with Russia, as well as Ukraine’s process of joining the EU or European economic support for kyiv.
The President of the European Commission informed the Ukrainian President on Monday that Brussels will shortly begin to transfer to kyiv the promised 18,000 million euros to respond to the most urgent financial needs.
“The European Union (EU) is with you as long as it takes. We support your heroic fight. A fight for freedom and against brutal aggressions”, he highlighted.
Under the Commission’s proposal, and approved by the European Parliament, the money is intended to support essential public services, such as the management of hospitals, schools and the provision of accommodation for displaced people.
The money will also be used to ensure macroeconomic stability and repair critical infrastructure destroyed by Russia.
In the same phone conversation, von der Leyen reminded Zelensky that the 27-member European bloc is supporting Ukraine this winter “with generators, shelters and school buses” in response to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
The Commission President also announced that she hopes to see Volodymyr Zelensky in person in Ukraine soon.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine has already caused the flight of more than 14 million people -6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 7.8 million to European countries-, according to the most recent data. of the UN, which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
Right now, 17.7 million Ukrainians need humanitarian aid and 9.3 million need food aid and shelter.
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin as the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by the wider international community, which has responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing Russia from the political point of view and economic sanctions.
The UN presented as confirmed since the beginning of the war 6,884 dead civilians and 10,947 wounded, stressing that these figures are far below the real ones.
Source: TSF
