By Georgi Gotev | EURACTIV.com with agencies
03-01-2023
File photo. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (C) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) attend their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, 15 September 2022. Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv to meet with top Ukrainian officials amid the Russian invasion. [EPA-EFE/SERGEY DOLZHENKO]
Languages: Czech
Ukraine and the European Union will hold a summit in Kyiv on 3 February to discuss financial and military support, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said in a statement on Monday (2 January).
Zelenskyy discussed details of the high-level meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in his first phone call of the year, the statement said.
“The parties discussed expected results of the next Ukraine-EU summit to be held on 3 February in Kyiv and agreed to intensify preparatory work,” the statement read.
The leaders talked about the supply of “appropriate” weapons and a new 18 billion euro financial assistance programme to Ukraine, with Zelenskyy pushing for the first tranche to be sent this month, it said.
Last November the EU launched the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) to continue supporting Ukraine against the ongoing Russian war of aggression.
Furthermore, the Council adopted an assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) worth €16 million to support the capacity building of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the EUMAM Ukraine.
Last month, the EU cleared the way to giving Ukraine the aid in a so-called “megadeal” that included the adoption of a minimum 15% global corporate tax rate.
The Polish government agreed to drop its veto on the minimum tax directive, clearing the way for a package deal that included €18 billion in macrofinancial aid for Ukraine and the freezing of some EU funds for Hungary.
The move followed an impassioned plea from Zelenskyy not to let internal disputes within the 27-nation bloc stand in the way of backing Kyiv.
In June 2022, Ukraine was granted the status of a European Union candidate.
In September, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine had the ambition to become a full-fledged part of the EU in two years.
Ukraine-EU Summits are held on the basis of the Article 5 of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, according to which “the Parties hold regular political dialogue meetings at Summit level”.
Summit meetings are held with the participation of the President of Ukraine, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. They take place every year alternately in Ukraine and Brussels.
Zelenskyy has made regular appearances via video-link at EU summits since the start of the Russian invasion in February. He made his first in-person trip since the start of the war to Washington on Wednesday.
On 22 December the Council spokesperson announced the date of the summit as 3 February, but said the location had yet to be determined.
Both von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel have visited Kyiv since the beginning of the Russian invasion on 24 February. Their travel plans, however, have not been announced in advance for security reasons.
The security situation of the capital of Ukraine has deteriorated since Russia started its attacks on the electrical infrastructure, by widely using Iran-made drones.
Languages: Czech