EU ministers convene in Ukraine to show support after the US and Slovakia wobble. A pro-Russian candidate won the election in Slovakia, and the U.S. Congress left financing for Kyiv out of a budget bill. As a result, the E.U.’s foreign ministers met for the first time outside the union on Monday in Ukraine.
Borrell announced on X that “we are holding a historic gathering of E.U. Foreign Ministers here in Ukraine, a candidate country and future member of the E.U.” “We are here to show our solidarity with and support for the people of Ukraine.”
For the first time in history, outside the existing E.U. boundaries, the summit was held in Ukraine, according to Dmytro Kuleba, the country’s foreign minister. Nonetheless, within its foreseeable boundaries.”
Washington maintains that despite Congress’ exclusion of Ukraine funding from an emergency budget agreement agreed over the weekend to prevent a government shutdown, its strong military and political backing for Ukraine has not changed.
President Joe Biden’s administration said it anticipates the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will adopt a resolution to keep the help flowing despite increased calls for financing of Ukraine from right-wing Republican allies of former President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, Biden urged House Republicans to support the aid, claiming that he was “sick and tired” of the political gamesmanship that had almost resulted in the shutdown of the government.
Kuleba, a correspondent for the Ukraine, stated that Kyiv was still confident in American support.
As he received Borrell, he told reporters, “We don’t feel that the U.S. support has been shattered… because the United States understands that what is at stake in Ukraine is much bigger than just Ukraine.”
The issue, according to him, was whether the weekend events in the U.S. Congress were “an incident or a system.” He responded, “I believe that was an event. “We have very detailed conversations with the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress.”
In Slovakia’s election on Sunday, pro-Russian former prime minister Fico received the most votes and will now have the opportunity to build the country’s first administration. In his campaign, he demanded that Ukraine get “not a single round” of ammunition from Slovakia’s stockpile.
At a press conference following his victory, Fico stated, “We are not changing that we are prepared to support Ukraine in a humanitarian sense. “We are ready to assist in the state’s reconstruction, but you know our position on arming Ukraine.” NATO member Slovakia, which shares a tiny border with Ukraine, has taken in refugees and contributed an unusually large amount of armaments, including being among the first to dispatch fighter planes.
Despite pressure from Hungary, whose nationalist leader Viktor Orban frequently opposes sanctions on Moscow, the E.U. has retained its steadfast pro-Ukrainian attitude. To create a government, Fico would need to build a coalition with at least one other party with a different public stance on Ukraine.
According to Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, “I think it’s too early to judge how these elections will impact the support of Ukraine.” “We must hold off until the coalition is established.”
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