ARCHIVE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj (archive photo). Photo: Roman Koksarov/AP/dpa Keystone/AP/Roman Koksarov sda-ats
This content was published on January 23, 2024 – 8:08 p.m. January 23, 2024 – 8:08 p.m
(Keystone-SDA)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber (CSU), have called for the release of 50 billion euros in EU money. Zelensky said at the meeting on Tuesday in Kiev that his country was counting on the release of multi-year financial aid at a special meeting of the European Council on February 1st. At the same time, the head of state thanked his European partners for the support they had provided, particularly with regard to anti-aircraft systems.
Weber also said that the European Union must provide financial aid. “There is no option of failure next week,” said the leader of the Christian Democratic group in the European Parliament. “This is money well spent by European taxpayers to stabilize Ukraine.” With his trip, he himself wanted to assure Ukraine of the full support of the European People’s Party.
Likewise, as promised, Brussels must deliver one million NATO-caliber 155 millimeter artillery shells by spring, said Weber. A strengthening of air defense, especially for the southern Ukrainian region of Odessa, is also necessary. “As a German, I would like to emphasize that the delivery of Taurus missiles is needed now, not in a few months or years,” said the CSU representative. This would allow the Ukrainian army to attack Russia’s infrastructure behind the front line. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) does not yet want to hand over these high-precision guided missiles to Kiev.
In addition to Zelensky, Weber met the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, founded in 2018, as well as company bosses and representatives of non-governmental organizations. Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for almost two years. The decision on multi-year EU financial aid for the attacked country has been blocked since last December.
2024-01-23 19:19:17
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