EU international ministers don’t promise any extra air protection for Ukraine | EUROtoday

As of 8:11 p.m | Reading time: 2 minutes

NAfter the US House of Representatives accredited additional navy support for Ukraine, the EU international ministers reiterated their help for Kiev – however with out promising the extra air protection techniques requested by Ukraine. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) described the sure vote within the US Congress Chamber on the assembly of chief diplomats in Luxembourg on Monday as an “important moment for securing the European peace order”. However, no state has up to now adopted their enchantment to ship extra Patriot techniques to Ukraine.

The federal authorities introduced in mid-April that it could ship one other Patriot system to Ukraine. “What we need is for us to act, but sometimes it is necessary to discuss before acting and that is what we are doing today,” mentioned Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren. Spain's chief diplomat, José Manuel Albares, mentioned his nation had “always done everything it could, within its capabilities.” However, neither of them commented on the supply of additional Patriot techniques to Ukraine.

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The Netherlands and Spain are among the many European international locations which have Patriot batteries, together with Germany, Sweden, Poland, Greece and Romania. The surface-to-air missiles are thought-about notably efficient in opposition to hypersonic missiles, which the Russian navy is at the moment utilizing to more and more assault Ukraine's infrastructure.

“I would like us to decide more quickly,” mentioned Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski within the afternoon. The Polish Foreign Ministry, for its half, had said that, in its view, it could be higher if “Western European” states equipped extra Patriot batteries – and never the states additional east and nearer to the “front line”.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba addressed the EU international ministers in an announcement by way of video hyperlink with the phrases: “Now that you are all sitting here at the table, it is time to act and not discuss.” The EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell confirmed , issues have now “ripened”. “Everything has been said. Now is the time to act,” he appealed.

At their assembly in Luxembourg, the EU international ministers additionally mentioned increasing sanctions in opposition to Iran. In view of Iranian drone deliveries to Russia and militias corresponding to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the EU should “use all the sanctions we have,” mentioned Baerbock.