On March 6, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Brussels. The key topics of the meeting were air defense, weapons, and ammunition for Ukraine.
Points of attention
- The meeting between Zelenskyy and European Commission and European Council heads in Brussels focused on strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, including discussions on air defense, weapons, and ammunition for Ukraine.
- In addition to defense talks, important issues were raised about Ukraine's accession to the EU and the need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia.
- The European Commission President announced plans for a significant rearmament investment in Europe, which includes support for Ukraine's defense industry and military equipment purchases for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy met with von der Leyen and Costa
The head of state announced this on Telegram.
During a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Brussels, we discussed strengthening the defense capabilities of Ukraine and the whole of Europe. Air defense, weapons and ammunition for Ukraine, timely supplies, strengthening the Ukrainian defense industry, negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, the need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia and countering sanctions evasion — all of these were among our topics today.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
He thanked for the leadership in discussing increasing Europe's defense capabilities and strengthening Ukraine, and for all the support on the path to a just and sustainable peace.
It is very important that Ukrainians are not alone. We feel it and know it.
In turn, the President of the European Council emphasized the importance of strengthening the defense capabilities of Ukraine and Europe.
Europe's security and defense are not separate from Ukraine's security and defense. Stronger European defense strengthens Ukrainian defense, and stronger Ukrainian defense capabilities are also very important for strengthening our own defense.
The President of the European Commission emphasized that she will present a plan for rearmament of Europe at the European Council meeting, which provides for up to 800 billion euros in investments in the defense sector.
It gives Member States the financial space to invest in defense. It allows them to invest in the defense industry of Ukraine or to purchase military equipment that will be immediately transferred to Ukraine. Thus, it is aimed at the benefit of the rearmament of Europe, the rearmament of the European Union, and also the arming of Ukraine in its existential struggle for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
Separately, there was a discussion of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. Zelensky expressed hope that the heads of the European Commission and the European Council would facilitate the opening of the first "Fundamentals" cluster.
The Head of State also thanked for the adoption of the 16th package of EU sanctions against Russia and called for the start of work on the 17th, which should strengthen countermeasures against sanctions circumvention and expand restrictions on vessels of the Russian shadow fleet and their captains.
As a reminder, a special European Council meeting will be held in Brussels on March 6, during which the heads of state and government of the EU countries will consider ways to strengthen European defense and increase assistance to Ukraine.
