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The EU Bank intends to provide Ukraine with more than 2 billion euros this year, the European Council approved the seventh package of military support for the Ukrainian military of 500 million euros, and the EU plans to adopt the tenth package of sanctions against Russia by February 24. Such statements were made on the eve of the summit in Kyiv, which has already gathered senior officials of the European Union in the Ukrainian capital.

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2 billion euros “or more”

The European Union’s investment bank called on the bloc’s 27 countries to give Ukraine 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) “or more” this year, as it has done since the Russian invasion last February.

Of this amount, 1.7 billion euros have already been used in Ukraine, in particular, for the reconstruction of schools, roads and hospitals. There is another 540 million for ongoing projects. “We would like to continue what we have been doing and even do more. And the projects are ready,” Reuters quoted the head of the European Investment Bank, Werner Goyer.

He also announced that he plans to ask EU governments for guarantees needed to finance additional spending in Ukraine this year, as “much more will be needed to rebuild the country after the war, a task that the World Bank last September estimated at $350 billion.”

The seventh package of military support

The European Council agreed to provide Ukraine with a seventh package of military support of 500 million euros, as well as 45 million euros for military training. “With today’s decision, the EU strengthens its support to Ukraine in the defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity… as well as the protection of the civilian population from Russia’s ongoing war of aggression. Thanks to the seventh package, the EU’s total contribution to Ukraine will amount to 3.6 billion euros,” said the EU High Representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell.

The EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) will train another 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Thus, the total number of personnel trained by the Mission will reach 30,000 people, – informs the channel of the European Commission in Telegram.

The European Union will also allocate 25 million euros to support demining efforts in dangerous areas.

Justice in The Hague against the perpetrators of Ukraine

Among other statements on the eve of the summit – the words of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, that the International Center for Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine will be established in The Hague. In particular, he will coordinate the collection of evidence of Russian war crimes and will be part of the Joint Investigative Group with the support of Eurojust.

The tenth package of sanctions against Russia

The senior official also informed that the EU plans to adopt the tenth package of sanctions against Russia by February 24. As RFE/RL quotes the president of the European Commission, by the anniversary of the start of the full-scale invasion, “Russia will be forced to pay for the destruction it has caused in Ukraine, in particular, to provide funds for the reconstruction of Ukraine.”

“We are still deciding how to use Russian state assets for the benefit of Ukraine,” said Ursula von der Leyen. “Russia is paying a high price today. Our sanctions are eroding the Russian economy, setting it back for generations. The upper limit of the price of crude oil is already Russia is about 160 million euros per day. And we will keep the pressure on. Together with our partners from the G7, we will add another ceiling price for Russian oil products.”

50 billion euros, 35 million light bulbs, generators and power equipment

Since the beginning of the war, the economic, humanitarian and military support of Ukraine from the European Union amounts to almost 50 billion euros.

As it became known during a press conference in Kyiv today, the EU will provide Ukraine with an additional 5 million LED bulbs in addition to the 30 million previously announced. 2.4 thousand generators will be sent to Ukraine in addition to the 3 thousand already provided by the EU since the beginning of the war. Together with the countries of the Energy Community, the EU will allocate more than 150 million euros for the purchase of vital energy equipment for Ukraine.

The EU and Ukraine have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on renewable gases such as biomethane or hydrogen, which is a concrete step towards the “green” reconstruction of Ukraine, the European Commission informs.

The Voice of America also reported that the European Parliament has also now adopted a resolution calling on the EU to “work on starting accession negotiations and support a road map” for Ukraine.