This week, the attention of the international media was focused on the issue of supplying weapons to Ukraine and the challenges associated with supporting Ukraine.
For example, Reuters writes that Germany's support for Ukraine will be significantly expanded next year, quoting the Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock. She added that the war in Ukraine is a geopolitical challenge. In addition, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition has agreed in principle to double military aid to Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros (USD 8.5 billion). This is a powerful signal that the support of partners will remain steady, even despite other challenges in the world.
In terms of the issue of providing weapons, the President of Latvia said that russia is planning a long war in Ukraine, and his message to countries that are hesitating about continuing military support for Kyiv: continue to supply weapons, otherwise the Ukrainians will lose, and russia will have a green light to threaten others in in the future. He also said that "it is really important to fight for international peace and peace in Europe, because if we stop ussia in Ukraine, then russia will not be able to challenge other countries," The Washington Post wrote. That is, again: Ukraine is the shield of Europe, and weapons are the only way to restrain russia.
Mr Yermak's meeting with officials during a trip to Washington to persuade US government officials and the US intelligence community to provide Ukraine with the assistance it needs to continue repelling russia's large-scale aggression has been a major development in recent days. Bloomberg reported that Mr. Yermak met with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and national security advisors of the US, Germany, Great Britain and France in Washington.
So, today we have many challenges, but I hope for an optimistic solution to the issue of providing military aid to Ukraine, which has still not been approved by the US Congress. The Pentagon called on Congress to break the deadlock and approve the Biden administration's request for USD 61.4 billion of emergency funds to support Ukraine's fight against russia. Ukraine is waging an existential war, and I am sure that the partners fully understand the importance of victory both for Ukraine and for the entire democratic world in general.
Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met with national security advisers from key allies during a visit to Washington amid opposition among some Republicans to continued support. As Yermak said he was preparing to meet US lawmakers Tuesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that the European Union won’t meet a pledge to send Ukraine 1 million artillery shells by the end of March.
Latvia’s president says Russia is planning for a long war in Ukraine and he has a message for countries wavering on continuing military support to Kyiv: Keep supplying arms or the Ukrainians will lose and Russia will have a green light for threatening others in the future.
Edgars Rinkēvičs said in an interview with The Associated Press that “it is important to actually fight for international peace, and peace in Europe, because if we stop Russia in Ukraine, then Russia is not going to be able to challenge other countries.”
The European Commission said in a report that so-called accession talks should finally start, nearly 18 months since the bloc accepted Ukraine as a candidate state. The same report recommended that the process should also begin with Moldova, which borders Ukraine.
On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Today is a historic day, because today the Commission recommends that the Council opens accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova.”
German chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition has agreed in principle to double the country's military aid for Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion), a political source in Berlin said on Sunday.
If approved by parliament, where Scholz's parties hold a majority, the boost would lift Germany's defence spending to 2.1% of its gross domestic product target, beyond the 2% pledged by all North Atlantic Treaty Organization members, the source added.
Lawmakers from Scholz's Social Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Green party agreed on the increase in negotiations over the proposed 2024 federal budget ahead of a formal meeting of the budget committee of the Bundestag - or lower house of parliament - on Thursday, Nov. 16, the source said.
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