Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, together with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, met in Kyiv on Monday, March 25th, with a delegation of heads of committees of the European Parliament. They discussed the situation on the front lines and support for our army, according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
During the meeting, the Minister of Defense emphasized the significant importance of assistance from the European Parliament and the European Union to Ukraine in countering Russian aggression.
According to him, intentions to increase aid volumes are of great importance both for the military and civilian populations, as well as for Ukrainian infrastructure.
Umerov and Syrskyi also informed the European delegation about the current situation on the front lines.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces mentioned that the Security Forces' priority needs include air defense systems, missiles for them, artillery systems, ammunition, and long-range weapons. He also highlighted the importance of continuing the training of Ukrainian military personnel within the framework of the EU mission.
In turn, Umerov called on the EU to strengthen sanctions against those who attempt to circumvent them, particularly by supplying parts for the Russian military machine.
"We in Europe must stand united in the fight against Russian aggression. We must be one strong fist against the threat of barbarians," he noted.
In turn, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, David McAllister, stated that the visit of several committee heads of the European Parliament to Ukraine is a signal of unwavering bipartisan support for Ukraine by the European Parliament in the fight against Russian aggression.
"We value the courage of Ukrainian soldiers. We will continue to support you and will demand to provide Ukraine with what you really need," he emphasized.
Photo: Umerov and Syrskyi met with a delegation of heads of committees of the European Parliament (mil.gov.ua)
Photo: Umerov and Syrskyi met with a delegation of heads of committees of the European Parliament (mil.gov.ua)
Photo: Umerov and Syrskyi met with a delegation of heads of committees of the European Parliament (mil.gov.ua)
Assistance to Ukraine from the EU
During the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on March 18, a final decision was made to allocate an additional 5 billion euros for military assistance to Ukraine within the framework of the European Peace Fund.
Furthermore, during the summit on March 21, EU leaders discussed the issue of directing profits from frozen Russian assets towards purchasing weapons for Ukraine and reached a preliminary agreement.
As reported by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the European Union and its member states have supplied military equipment to Ukraine totaling 31 billion euros since the beginning of the war. This figure continues to increase every day.
