During the upcoming summit in Brussels, the Ukrainian president is likely to touch upon the issues of accelerated arms deliveries, new anti-Russian sanctions, Ukraine’s entry into the EU, as well as the implementation of its peace formula.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Brussels, where a two-day summit of the heads of state and government of 27 EU countries will take place on February 9 and 10. During the visit, the head of state will address the summit participants with four key requests, including accelerated arms supplies, the imposition of sanctions against Rosatom, Ukraine’s accession to the EU, and the EU leaders’ support for the Ukrainian president’s peace formula. With such a forecast, the journalists of the Euractiv publication published the material.
Arms supplies
The material says that among the main requests of the Ukrainian leader will be the issue of accelerated deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, which the Defense Forces need before the likely spring offensive of the Russian army.
“First of all, the Ukrainian side is expected to insist on the general support of the EU member states in order to accelerate the supply of weapons before the start of a likely Russian spring offensive,” the material says.
Rather, we are talking about long-range missiles and combat aircraft, thanks to which the Ukrainian armed forces will take advantage of the enemy in the air. According to a Ukrainian official, Ukrainian fighters have mastered the skills of handling the complex Patriot system in 10 weeks, the same will happen with Western-style aircraft.
Sanctions against Rosatom
Among the issues discussed will likely be new anti-Russian sanctions. According to observers, Vladimir Zelensky is likely to insist that EU leaders include the Russian nuclear industry, or rather Rosatom, in the sanctions.
Restrictions will have to be introduced in connection with the situation around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which the occupiers took control of in March last year, as well as because of the repeated shelling of the ZNPP, which poses a threat of a nuclear catastrophe.
EU member states are currently working on the 10th round of sanctions, which, according to EU officials and diplomats, should be ready around February 24.
Ukraine’s accession to the European Union
It is expected that, among other things, the issue of Ukraine’s membership in the European Union will be raised, as Ukrainian officials insist on starting negotiations on membership before the end of this year.
However, here it should be taken into account that there is no unequivocal position among European leaders. Observers note that at a time when some Western leaders are keen to give Ukraine the moral boost that could come from membership talks, others are much more cautious. They point to a number of criteria put forward by the European Commission to start negotiations.
“Ukraine cannot receive any special status compared to, say, the countries of the Western Balkans, which are in the process of accession and go through all the hoops,” said one of the European diplomats.
Zelensky’s peace formula
Another point of the Brussels program of the Ukrainian president will be a request to EU leaders to support his peace formula. This plan consists of ten points. According to the Ukrainian leadership, he can create a new global security architecture in Europe.
Recall, President Volodymyr Zelensky, during his visit to the UK on February 8, said that the parties managed to agree on a new UK military aid package, which will include long-range weapons. In addition, according to the Ukrainian leader, an agreement was reached on the education and training of Ukrainian pilots.
Source: Focus