EU pledges to consider approaches to security guarantees for Ukraine

EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on June 29 adopted a statement in which they expressed their readiness to contribute to future security commitments to Ukraine and to consider approaches to such a contribution.

This was reported by a leading independent Ukrainian media Evropeiska Pravda, referring to the text of the EU summit decision, which the media has seen privately.

Document was approved by all EU member states – media

According to the text of the document, which was approved by all EU member states, the European Union and its member states “are ready to contribute, together with partners, to future security commitments to Ukraine that will help Ukraine protect itself in the long term, deter acts of aggression and resist attempts to destabilise”. 

“In this regard, they will quickly consider modalities for such a contribution. These commitments will be made with full respect for the security and defence policies of individual Member States and taking into account the security and defence interests of all Member States. The European Council will continue to keep this issue under review,” the decision says. 

Separately, EU leaders reaffirmed the EU’s readiness to provide sustained military support to Ukraine for as long as necessary, mainly through the EU Military Assistance Mission and the European Peace Fund. 

They also welcomed the progress in the delivery and joint procurement of one million pieces of artillery ammunition and missiles for Ukraine.

The decision specifically stresses the importance of continuing the efforts of EU member states to assist in meeting Ukraine’s urgent military and defence needs without prejudice to the specific security and defence policies of individual member states and taking into account the security and defence interests of all member states.

Long-term military support and weapons supply

The EU assurances, which may parallel US commitments to Israel, could take the shape of a long-term pledge of support, including military funding, weapons and equipment supplies for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and training for the Ukrainian military so that they can deter assaults or invasions from Russian in future.

European Peace Facility Fund to pay back states for aid to Ukraine

The EU has also been assisting Ukraine through the European Peace Facility’s off-budget fund, which is used to pay back member states for lethal and non-lethal aid delivered to Ukraine. Fund utilisation is another topic within discussions on EU support for Ukraine.

The EU has been aspiring to speed up weapons delivery to Ukraine by pressuring its member states to acquire equipment, particularly ammunition and missiles jointly, and the industry to increase ammunition production by the member nations.

EU’s future security commitments for Ukraine

The EU’s future security commitments could mean the EU’s current efforts, military support and supplies to Ukraine as long as the war continues and Russian troops are still on captured Ukrainian territories. Still, the specifics of the EU security commitments need to be clarified. 

The day before the summit, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called on EU partners not to turn the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine into an uncontrolled process.

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karinš said that the best security guarantee for Ukraine is full NATO membership as soon as the war is over.