Russia-targeted Criticisms Dismissed as Preposterous by Borrell Regarding Germany
Due to the latest Russian air strikes, Ukraine has again requested its allies to loosen up their limitations on weapon usage. However, Germany and the USA are apprehensive about provoking conflict with Russia in this situation.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made a request at a ministerial meeting in Brussels last week, urging Europeans to pressurize the USA and Britain. Specifically, the USA and Britain should give Ukraine permission to attack military targets within Russia's core, Kuleba asserted. Up until now, this has been granted only in the Kharkiv region.
The defense ministers held a virtual conference with their Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov. The expansion of the EU's training mission for Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) was among the topics discussed.
Josep Borrell reiterated the EU's goal of training 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of the year, 10,000 more than previously planned. To achieve this, the EU is exploring with Ukraine the possibility of establishing a new coordination center in Kyiv, Borrell mentioned.
German Parliamentary State Secretary for Defense Thomas Hitschler mentioned in Brussels that Germany aims to train 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of the year. The training will take place "in Germany," Hitschler emphasized.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged the EU to allow training in Ukraine itself, rather than in member states as before. Germany opposes this, citing the potential for conflict with Russia and risks to the soldiers.
Macron received backing from Estonia. "You can't box without using both hands," Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said. The Netherlands and Latvia also showed interest in engaging in discussion. However, "consensus" in the EU is crucial, Pevkur noted.
Besides these issues, the defense ministers are also discussing the G7 group's promise to provide Ukraine with a loan of 50 billion euros. The EU plans to use the earnings from frozen Russian assets for this, but the specifics are still unclear. The situation in Gaza is also under consideration. The new chair of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), is taking part in the debate.
The European Union, led by Josep Borrell, aims to train 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of the year, with a potential new coordination center being established in Kyiv.
Despite French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion for training in Ukraine itself, Germany, one of the EU's members, opposes this due to potential conflict with Russia and risks to the soldiers.
