Brussels 14.11.2022 “First of all, because we reaffirmed our top priority. This top priority is to continue supporting Ukraine. I will leave for tomorrow the military aspects of this issue. Tomorrow, we have a Defence Ministers Council where we will continue discussing about what is happening in Ukraine from the defence and the military point of view. But certainly, the [Foreign] Ministers also talked about it” said the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell (pictured) after the meeting of the Foreign ministers.

“We listened to Minister [of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro] Kuleba, who joined us [remotely] to debrief on the latest developments. We had the opportunity to reconfirm to him that the European Union stands with Ukraine until Ukraine’s victory. This has to be understood under Ukrainian parameters. Until then, we stay united in our support to Ukraine.

“A good proof of that is that today, we launched the EU Military Assistance Mission [to Ukraine (EUMAM)] with the purpose of training at least 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers. It has been decided, it has been agreed, it has been implemented in record time. It is the first time I see a Military Assistance Mission to go [ahead] as quickly as this one, through the whole procedure. I hope that, by the end of the month, it will start working.

“Member States discussed about the amount of our military support. More details will come tomorrow, but allow me to say that we should not confuse the €3.1 billion from the European Peace Facility, with the [combined] military support of the European Union and its Member States to Ukraine. Sometimes you can read some figures, a comparison between the United States’ effort and the European effort.

“I asked my military staff to do the best estimation of which is the amount of our military support to Ukraine, and I can advance a figure that tomorrow will be discussed with the Defence Ministers.

“I think I can say that at least €8 billion in military equipment have already been provided to Ukraine by the European Union and the Member States. It is about 45% of the effort done by the United States, so it is not negligible. We are not talking about €3.1 billion, but about €8 billion on military support.

“Tomorrow, as I said, I will continue discussing these figures with the Defence Ministers and study how these resources have been implemented, with which kind of defence material, and its effectiveness”.