European leaders gathered at the summit on Thursday expressed concern about the risks posed by a weakened Vladimir Putin after the uprising that destabilized Russia’s power and reiterated their long-term support for Ukraine.
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The Russian president had been “weakened” by the Wagner Group uprising, making him a “greater threat,” European diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said upon his arrival in Brussels. “We have to be very vigilant about the consequences.”
“Until now, we have viewed Russia as a threat to its forces stationed in Ukraine. Today we have to consider Russia as a risk because of its internal instability,” he continued.
This mutiny shows “deep cracks” in the system created by Putin and “will have consequences for us,” warned EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Ukraine was the focus of discussions among European leaders on Thursday, with a planned intervention by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via video conference.
The EU has made clear its long-term commitment to Kiev. “It is important that we support Ukraine twice, both for military capacity and for financial assistance,” argued Ms. von der Leyen.
On June 20, she proposed that member states approve a €50 billion aid package to help Ukraine until 2027 as part of an extension of the EU’s multiannual budget.
“Wait a long time”
The summit of European heads of state and government is “an opportunity to agree on how we can continue to jointly organize our support for Ukraine,” emphasized Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“We have to be prepared for this to continue for a long time,” he said.
The Secretary General of NATO, the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, a guest at the summit, also pleaded for permanent aid to Ukraine, which is striving to join the Atlantic Alliance and the EU.
“We must continue to support Ukraine to remain a sovereign and independent country, otherwise the membership debates will no longer be relevant,” he warned.
On Thursday, Kiev called for clarity about the prospect of joining NATO after the war. “Ukraine continues to actively work with all NATO allies to convince them that the time has come for clarity about their membership in the alliance,” said head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kouleba.
On Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded that NATO commit to “concrete” elements at its planned July 11-12 summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
For its part, the European Union must prepare for Ukraine’s accession and deal with the delicate issue of reforms to be carried out in order to be able to integrate this country, an agricultural giant, warned European Council President Charles Michel.
“The debate will be difficult,” he admitted in an interview with AFP. “But we shouldn’t wait until the last moment, when in December the European Commission’s report recommends starting accession negotiations with Ukraine.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls for accession negotiations to start at the end of 2023. This decision requires the unanimous approval of the 27 member states.
In June 2022, following Russia’s invasion of the country, the EU granted Ukraine candidate status in a highly symbolic gesture. Nine other countries, including Serbia, Kosovo, Moldova and Turkey, are knocking on the EU’s door.
Enlargement will be the focus of discussions at the next European summits in Granada, Spain, and in Brussels later this year.