EU defense chiefs convene to discuss military support for Ukraine

ANKARA

The defense ministers of EU countries met virtually on Monday to discuss military support to Ukraine amid the nation's war with Russia.

On Sunday, EU countries approved arm supplies for Ukraine worth €450 million ($503 million) and protective equipment worth €50 million ($55 million).

Another important decision by the EU was to support the Ukrainian army with fighter jets and fuel.

Prior to the defense ministers' meeting, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said "we are going to talk with the defense ministers or the military situation in the ground, how the war in Ukraine is going on."

Noting that the meeting also aimed to coordinate each member state's individual actions on the matter, Borrell said they would discuss what to do with the €500 million "that yesterday we decided to grant to the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

The high representative further stated that the fight in Ukraine was "fierce" and that "Ukrainians are resisting."

"Russia is paying a high toll of number of casualties, but we have to provide ammunition (to Ukraine), you have to provide high caliber guns and anti-tank equivalents," he added.

Borrell also drew attention to the referendum held in Belarus on Sunday for a new Constitution allowing the country to host nuclear weapons.

Saying that such a decision to change its non-nuclear status was "dangerous," Borrell said, "it means that Russia will put nuclear weapons in Belarus and this is a very dangerous path."

He called on the Belarusian people to "protest against the decision and also to protest against the aggression from Belarus to Ukraine."

Borrell ended his remarks by stressing that "the world cannot afford that a powerful country smashes the neighbor using its military capacities."

Moscow’s war on Ukraine entered its fifth day on Monday, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital, Kyiv.

It was met by an outcry from the international community, with the EU, UK, Japan, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions against Russia.

At least 102 civilians have so far been killed in Ukraine and more than 500,000 others have fled the country, according to UN officials.