EU drafts security commitments to Ukraine

The European External Action Service has prepared a draft framework document on the EU's security commitments to Ukraine.

Source: Euractiv, reported by European Pravda

Details: The draft, dated 8 April, lists the EU's efforts to provide political, military, and financial assistance to Kyiv.

"The European Union and Ukraine agree that the European Union's security commitments to Ukraine will remain in force as Ukraine pursues its European path," the draft says.

The EU's security commitments and national bilateral commitments concluded between EU member states and Ukraine "are complementary and mutually reinforcing," the document says.

The EU will "facilitate coordination between member states of the European Union and cooperate with other partners on the implementation of respective security commitments".

As in most bilateral security agreements, the draft document stipulates that the EU will "review the European Union’s security commitments not later than ten years from the date of this statement".

The EU document does not contain a list of new commitments but mentions areas where support could be expanded.

The newly created Assistance Fund for Ukraine, part of the extra-budgetary European Peace Facility (EPF), will have a budget of €5 billion for 2024.

"Further comparable annual increases can be envisaged until 2027," the document says.

Regarding the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), the document states that "future training targets should be continuously adjusted in terms of numbers and skills, according to combat needs expressed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and in coordination with partners".

So far, the mission has trained 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers, and the number is expected to increase to 60,000 by the summer.

The document also commits the EU to "foster greater cooperation between their defence industries in the spirit of the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS)".

The document describes Ukraine's upcoming accession to the EU as a "geo-strategic investment", stressing that the EU will seek to help Kyiv with its reform programme related to the accession process.

On 10 April, EU ambassadors are expected to hold a first exchange of views on the draft document, with a view to approving it within the next few weeks.

Ukraine would like to sign bilateral security agreements with most, if not all, EU member states.

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