Borrell announces the return of the EU diplomatic mission to Ukraine in Kyiv

The EU diplomatic mission is returning to Ukraine. The statement came from High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell, who arrived in Kyiv on Friday accompanied by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Another 500 million euros will be allocated from the European Peace Fund to help the Ukrainian army acquire weapons to defend its country and people.

Council of Europe President Charles Michel announced on Thursday night the increase in the game, awaiting the final approval of the 27th.

This 500 million is in addition to the “unprecedented € 1 billion package that started after the invasion,” Borrell said. “Our support for their armed forces now stands at € 1.5 billion.

“It is impressive to see here that the Ukrainian government is functioning well, even in very difficult circumstances,” he said. I literally mean this: the head of our delegation has returned to Kyiv so that we can work even more directly and closely together.

Borrell commented on the approval of the fifth package of sanctions: “We continue to tighten sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian regimes in order to paralyze the Kremlin’s ability to continue its aggression. Today we are adopting the fifth package of sanctions, which consists of strong sectoral, economic and financial measures, and finally, for the first time, in the energy sector: we are banning the import of Russian coal to the EU. We have also received more lists of persons, bringing the total number to more than 1000 persons under EU sanctions.

Power plants, at the moment, do not contain gas and oil. Borrell announced in the European Parliament on Wednesday that the EU Council of Foreign Ministers would discuss debates on oil progress this Monday.

“I think A. [embargo] The oil should be done faster. Oil is much easier than gas. “There are, of course, short-term restrictions on gas,” he told Efe in Kyiv. On others .. people do not realize how interconnected we are. “Everything that harms one country’s economy, the rest will pay the bail effect.”

According to Efe, the High Representative stressed that the oil and gas markets are “very sensitive and it is impossible to send the expected signals because prices are moving and we are in a difficult situation due to prices (growth). Energy prices around the world. .

However, his department sources were not so clear this Friday that this could have happened.

Regarding the Bucha massacre, Borrell explained that “an investigation has been launched by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. The Investigative Commission of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is also working on this. They have our full support. Our EU Civilian Advisory Mission will assist the Prosecutor General of Ukraine with the equipment to ensure the investigation and on-the-spot collection of evidence. We are also launching a € 7.5 million project to support the investigation to ensure a large recovery of missing persons data.

“The European Union will provide all necessary technical and financial assistance to ensure that justice is done for the victims and that they are held accountable. “There can be no impunity,” he said.