The European Union (EU) wants to create a €20 billion package to support Ukraine over the next four years, not only to acquire weapons, but also to help rebuild the country.
“There is a proposal, a thought paper presented by the European External Action Service, which points to numbers of this magnitude, not only for armaments, but also for large investments in reconstruction. […]. The document says about 20 billion. [de euros]but this is just for thought, over the next few months we will reach a consensus on how much and how,” João Gomes Cravinho told reporters during a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, which is taking place in Brussels.
João Gomes Cravinho indicated that the package should be a “concrete envelope” under the European Peace Support Mechanism (MEAP) and will be part of the “security guarantees” that the European Union wants to give to the country invaded by Russia at the end of February last year.
However, the minister in charge of Portuguese diplomacy left a warning: “MEAP funding must not be diverted to other parts of the world. For Africa, this mechanism is the main instrument in our relations. [com os países daquele continente]. It cannot be exhausted, exclusively absorbed by the support of Ukraine.”
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell this morning unveiled a plan to “ensure support for Ukraine in the coming years, which will include a significant amount of money,” without disclosing the amount.
Reuters and POLITICO put forward this Thursday an amount of 20 billion euros, but there is still no official confirmation of this amount, only that it will be valid from 2024 to 2027.
The 27 foreign ministers also discussed the suspension of the Ukrainian agreement on the export of grain across the Black Sea.
João Gomes Cravinho noted that the EU countries are unanimous that it is necessary to increase the flow through existing land routes, although they do not replace the sea route: “This does not cancel the consequences [da suspensão do acordo]but soften.
The deal fell apart on Monday after the Kremlin refused to renew it, saying some of its criteria were not met.