European Union leaders have signed a security pact with Ukraine, kicking off a two-day summit where they will also establish the EU’s strategic course for the next five years and appoint the leaders of the EU’s key institutions.
On Thursday, the leaders of the 27 EU countries welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who made a rare personal appearance in Brussels for the signing ceremony.
The security agreement reinforces the EU’s backing for Kiev, which is fending against Moscow’s invasion for a third year, despite far-right wins in European elections, uncertainty caused by French snap elections, and the US presidential election in November.
The summit’s draft conclusions revealed that the leaders will restate their resolve to support Ukraine for as long as necessary, emphasising that “Russia must not prevail” and that Ukraine must reclaim the land acquired by Moscow.
They will also request that EU institutions hammer out the details of a G7 agreement to offer $53.6 billion in loans to Ukraine, which would be financed by earnings produced by Russian central bank assets frozen in the West following Moscow’s attack.
The crisis in Ukraine exposed the EU’s lack of preparedness for a fight, as the bloc struggles to supply Kiev with adequate weapons to counter Russia, leading calls for increased EU coordination of defense systems and investment in defense sectors.
