EU to fund arms to Ukraine, close airspace to Russia, ban propaganda media / Article

Leiena said: “For the first time, the European Union will fund the purchase of weapons and other equipment for a country under attack.”

EU member states agreed on Sunday to unlock 450 million euros for member states to buy arms for Ukraine, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell said. In turn, 50 million euros will be allocated for medical purchases and fuel.

According to him, EU defense ministers will discuss on Monday how to buy military goods and deliver them to the Ukrainian armed forces. Poland has agreed to be a transit hub for these supplies, Borel said.

He said that as part of the funding, the EU would supply jet fighters to Ukraine.

For those who say that the European Union’s aid to Ukraine is insufficient, 👇 an additional 450 million euros for Ukraine for arms and armaments https://t.co/SgKvym4h85

– Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) February 27, 2022

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“The European Union has taken further steps to isolate Putin’s regime and support Ukraine. The new sanctions will severely hamper Putin’s ability to finance its brutal invasion of Ukraine, while a new emergency aid package will increase Ukraine’s ability to defend itself,” said Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš.

Sanctions also ban some 20 Russian oligarchs and high-ranking officials from using their financial assets in the EU, the US, Canada and the UK. All of these measures will severely damage Putin’s ability to finance its war.

At the same time, sanctions will be intensified against the Kremlin and its accomplices, the Lukashenko regime.

“We are closing EU airspace to the Russians. We are proposing to ban all Russian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraft. These aircraft will no longer be able to land, take off or fly over EU territory,” Leiena said.

Leiena said: “Second, we will ban the Kremlin’s media machinery in the EU. Russia Today, Sputnik and its subsidiaries will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war.”

“We are developing tools to ban the spread of toxic and harmful misinformation in Europe,” Leiena said.

“We will impose a new package of sanctions on the Lukashenko regime,” Leiena said. Sanctions will affect key import sectors.

“It will stop the export of all goods from mineral fuels to tobacco, wood and timber, cement and steel,” said Leiena. Sanctions will also be imposed on those who aid in Russia’s aggression.

All of these measures are in addition to the package of additional sanctions that were presented yesterday and agreed with international partners. Under this package, important Russian banks will be disconnected from the international payment system SWIFT and we will ban all transactions of the Russian central bank and freeze all its assets to prevent it from financing the Putin war, Leiena said.

We will also turn against the assets of Russian oligarchs, Leiena added.

Belarus will also be subject to export restrictions on dual-use goods imposed on Russia. This will avoid the risk of circumvention of the measures imposed on Russia, Leiena said.

We will welcome the Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s bombs with open arms, and I am proud of the warm welcome given to them by the Europeans, Leiena said.

We are mobilizing every effort and every euro to support our eastern Member States in hosting and caring for these refugees. We will do so in full solidarity, Leiena said.

I am currently on the EU Foreign Affairs Council, feeling like the show “The Obvious Incredible”. Let’s decide on things that seemed unbelievable a week ago – RT, Sputnik ban, Russian bank shutdown, Central bank reserve freeze, € 500 million ambulance 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/3qnVqHFWsq

– Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) February 27, 2022

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CONTEXT:

Russian President Vladimir Putin recognizes Donetsk and Luhansk “People’s Republics” on February 21 independence from Ukraine. Putin also threatened Ukraine by demanding that Ukraine immediately cease hostilities against the separatists, “otherwise all responsibility for the possible continued bloodshed will rest entirely with the conscience of the Ukrainian regime.”

But on February 24, Putin announcedthat Russia has launched a “military operation” in Ukraine and called on the Ukrainian army to “lay down its arms”. This caused the democratic world even more condemnation and the next steps in sanctions against Russia.

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