EU summit will offer ‘security commitments’ to Ukraine

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The European Union is preparing to offer “future security commitments” to Ukraine as the bloc’s leaders seek to agree long-term pledges to Kiev against a backdrop of growing instability in Russia and entrenched battle lines.

The discussion on the pledge, which is included in the draft conclusions of Thursday’s summit of EU leaders, comes as little progress on Ukraine’s counteroffensive and the fallout of Wagner’s failed uprising in Russia prompt capitals to reconsider. Inspire what level of support Kiev needs.

Britain and the US, as well as EU members France and Germany, have led efforts to agree a bilateral security arrangement to provide Ukraine with long-term funding, military supplies, training and intelligence, aimed at Russia’s full-scale But to help prevent invasion and protect it in the future. aggression.

While falling far short of the mutual defense that comes with NATO membership, the pledges are designed to provide some sort of stop-gap to reassure Kiev and give it confidence in permanent Western support.

According to a diplomat involved in the discussions, the proposed EU declaration prepared by France aims to send “a very clear political signal” to Ukraine and Russia. According to a second official, it is also seen as ensuring that the bloc has a stake in the wider security architecture being built to defend Ukraine and will not be sidelined by US-led NATO.

But it has faced resistance from the bloc’s neutral states Ireland, Malta and Austria, who want clarity on what the “commitments” will include, according to officials briefed on the discussions.

The draft leaders’ statement, seen by the Financial Times, said the EU and its member states “are prepared to contribute, together with partners, to future security commitments for Ukraine that will enable Ukraine to defend itself in the long term.” will help prevent acts of aggression.” Resist attempts at destabilization”.

It added that the modalities of such contributions would have to be “expeditiously considered”, taking into account the “security and defense policy of some member states”, in the context of neutral countries. The text could be changed before it was adopted.

Some member states stated that the idea of ​​”commitments” was too loosely defined and requested a more formal framework from the EU’s foreign policy arm.

“We are already making a lot of security commitments,” an EU diplomat said, referencing the bloc’s financial aid to Kiev and its initiative to source, produce and supply increased levels of ammunition. Are.”

Asked about the security commitment pledge, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kailas said it was up to “each individual ally” to decide what they could do. “But what is important is that we say this is the normal way,” Callas said on Wednesday.

“We are working on (the terminology). We don’t want empty, empty words.

Ukraine’s tough fight against heavily fortified Russian positions in occupied southeast Ukraine but slow progress has dimmed hopes of a quick battlefield breakthrough in some capitals that could spur peace talks.

At the same time, Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion against the country’s top officials has raised questions about the unity of Russia’s military and how Ukraine can best take advantage of it.

“For better or worse the outcome (of the retaliatory strike) is going to affect everything we do with respect to Ukraine, and we are all aware of that,” said a senior European diplomat. who, like others, requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. , “Funding, endorsement, political involvement. , , And most importantly, the peace talks are happening, whether we like it or not.

NATO’s top commander in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, told a private meeting last week that the counteroffensive had not yet achieved significant success and was fighting against Russia’s security. According to attendees, he said, “Russia still has the advantage of the masses.”

More than 400,000 troops are involved in Russia’s war, according to Ukrainian and Western estimates, more than in February last year when President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion.

NATO’s military headquarters SHAPE declined to comment on Cavoli’s private comments. It said in a statement: “NATO has been closely following the conflict in Ukraine since its beginning. , , The next phase of their fight may be long and difficult, but we will continue to do everything we can to help Ukraine win its existential battle.

Additional reporting by Andy Bounds and Ian Johnston in Brussels