The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, said on Monday that the meeting on Friday of the international coalition supporting Ukraine at the Ramstein air base had «good results», despite the fact that the supply of battle tanks to Kiev was not agreed upon.
«Do not discount the outcome of Ramstein: many good decisions have been made. And then each member state decides at the national level what it wants to do,» the head of European diplomacy stressed before the meeting of European foreign ministers in Brussels, assuring that Germany, the main actor that should take the step to allow the re-export of its ‘Leopard’ tanks, «has committed a great deal of resources.»
After Germany on Friday at the Ramstein meeting postponed the decision to send tanks to Ukraine and opened a period of reflection, the High Representative has expressed the opinion that such military systems should be provided to the Ukrainian Army, but stressed that the issue is in the hands of the member states. «We are here to discuss it,» he noted.
The German blockade on sending tanks to Ukraine has focused the attention of numerous ministers on their arrival at the meeting in Brussels. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielus Landsbergis stressed that the EU-27 must understand that «there is only one end» to the war, which is the Russian defeat in Ukraine. «It is imperative to send all the weaponry Ukraine needs to push the battle front and to gain territory,» he stressed.
On the internal debate in Germany about tanks, the Lithuanian minister noted that he hopes that the ongoing reflection will be «fruitful» and will end up deciding on the supply of battle tanks. «Those of us who are waiting unfortunately have to wait one more day,» he noted.
His French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, pointed out that «all options are open» with regard to the military reinforcement of Kiev and valued the «agreement between allies» to jointly study the supply of more weapons.
«There continues to be a lot of support for Ukraine, it must be recognized, it is now up to the German government and it is working with other governments, it will be resolved at the right time», said the Irish Foreign Minister Michaeal Martin.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
