EU Ministers to Discuss Helping Ukraine With Weapons, Supplies Against Russian Offensive

EU foreign ministers on Sunday will look at helping Ukraine against the Russian offensive by discussing the funding of “lethal material” and supplies such as fuel, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. Their emergency meeting, by video link, will also examine additional EU sanctions announced overnight by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

They include cutting certain Russian banks out of the global SWIFT network, harming their ability to do crossborder transfers, and blocking the Russian central bank’s access to its reserves. “Today’s discussion by EU Foreign Ministers will pave the way for the swift adoption of all necessary legal acts,” said a statement from Borrell’s office.

Borrell “will propose to provide a measure composed of lethal equipment, such as ammunition, and a measure for non-lethal equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian army, such as fuel and urgent medical supplies,” it said. Several EU officials said that EU countries had individually been sending “significant” shipments of weapons to Ukraine.

Germany has said it sending 1,400 anti-tank rockets and 500 ground-to-air Stinger missiles. The Netherlands announced the dispatch of 200 Stingers and rifles. Belgium said it 2,000 machine guns and 3,800 tonnes of fuel were on the way. The Czech Republic is delivering 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns, several sniper rifles and a million cartridges.

Portugal said it was sending night-vision googles, grenades and ammunition. Romania was shipping fuel, bullet-proof vests, helmets, munition and other military equipment. France and Greece said they were sending unspecified military equipment.

The foreign ministers’ meeting was to begin at 1700 GMT, with Borrell expected to give a media conference afterwards at 1900 GMT. It was to be preceded by another emergency meeting of EU interior ministers, gathered in-person at 1400 GMT in Brussels.

They will discuss Europe’s humanitarian response to the conflict in Ukraine, notably on taking in the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing out of the country to escape the Russian assault.

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