Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergaard. Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Europe should do more to strengthen Ukraine’s position both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, so that Kyiv can reject any unfavourable deal.
This was stated by Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergaard in Brussels during a joint speech with the foreign ministers of Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Ukrinform reports.
“We must do everything possible to quickly build up Ukraine’s capabilities. It must take a position of strength at the negotiating table. When Ukraine is ready for such negotiations, it should be able to say no to any bad deal. To do this, we need to increase military assistance now – not in six months or a year,” Stenergaard said.
According to her, the eight Nordic countries together provide Ukraine with the second largest military aid package, and this shows that the rest of Europe can do much more.
“This means that much more can be done by the whole of Europe,” the Swedish Foreign Minister stressed.
At the same time, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen spoke about Hungary’s objections to Ukraine’s future membership in the EU.
“Our answer is very simple: it is up to Ukraine to decide its own destiny. Ukrainians have chosen the path to the European Union, and we want to welcome them to the European family,” Rasmussen said.
The meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council takes place against the backdrop of further discussions on military assistance to Ukraine and its European integration.
