EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell on Friday described as ridiculous any claim that Europe is at war with Russia because Ukraine uses weapons supplied by European countries to strike Russian sites.
Bombarding mainland Russia does not mean the EU is at war with Moscow, Borrell told the press. He stressed that Europe was not at war with Moscow, but supporting Ukraine to prevent it from being attacked.
Western countries are divided on the issue of permitting Ukraine to use armaments provided by the allied nations to target “legitimate military sites” in Russian territory, including missile-launch sites. Nations such as France and the United Kingdom want to authorise strikes deep into Russia, whereas the United States and Germany are reluctant for fear of escalation.
Borrell himself supports such an authorisation. He indicated that a unified stance was not necessary, as the decision is up to each country. Countries supplying long-range missiles or other weapons to Ukraine will decide on their own how to use them, Borrell said.
He also reminded reporters that Putin is targeting Ukraine’s electrical capacity so as to plunge the country into darkness and cold this winter.
Defence Ministers planned to discuss strengthening the European mission for training Ukrainian soldiers on Friday. According to Borrell, this training mission – already the EU’s most successful – currently aims at training 60,000 soldiers, a figure predicted to continue growing.
There are also plans to open a coordination centre with the Ukrainian armed forces in Kyiv, although there is no agreement among the 27 EU member States on training Ukrainian soldiers on Ukrainian soil within European structures.
The Defence Ministers will also review weapon deliveries to Ukraine.
