BRUSSELS: Europe must support Ukraine more than ever, its foreign policy chief said on Monday, as the bloc agreed to impose more sanctions against Russia ahead of a flurry of meetings in Brussels, Kyiv and Washington this week.
European officials have been left flat-footed by US President Donald Trump’s decisions to hold talks with Russia - spurning both Kyiv and Europe.
“We have to support Ukraine right now, more than ever,” European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
The 16th package of sanctions against Russia, which the ministers agreed on Monday, includes a ban on primary aluminium imports and sales of gaming consoles, as well as listing owners and operators of 74 so-called shadow fleet vessels used to evade sanctions.
Meanwhile, several EU leaders and ministers will be in Kyiv on Monday to mark their support for Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, while France and Britain’s leaders were travelling to the United States to meet Trump.
Ukraine would receive a new payment of 3.5 billion euros ($3.68 billion) from the European Union in March, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in Kyiv, referring to a tranche of pre-approved aid being paid.
Von der Leyen said Ukraine would also benefit from EU plans to scale up European arms production and defence capabilities.
Speaking in Brussels, Kallas also said she would travel to the United States on Tuesday to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to discuss EU-US relations and talks between the US and Russia on ending the war in Ukraine.
“You can discuss whatever you want with Putin, but if it comes to Ukraine and Europe, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal,” Kallas said. Several of the foreign ministers at the Brussels meeting were wearing blue and yellow colours to mark their support for Kyiv.
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Some, including Spain’s minister Jose Manuel Albares, said one should not confuse the victim, Ukraine, and the aggressor, Russia.
“It’s totally unacceptable, as the US wants to do today at the United Nations, to put the two countries on the same footing,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said.
“There is an aggressor and there is a victim.” Kallas herself said it was “clear” the “Russian narrative” was represented in what Trump was saying about the Russia-Ukraine war.
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