The European Union has announced its intention to allocate nearly 1.9 billion euros for military support to Ukraine, including the procurement of weapons and artillery, as well as strengthening air defense.
The European Union, Denmark, France, and Italy have agreed on a 1 billion euro contribution to support Ukraine's defense industry, funded by the European Peace Facility from the revenues of blocked Russian assets.
EU member states have already committed to providing Ukraine with at least 1.35 million shells by the end of the year.
France is mobilizing revenue from blocked Russian assets to ensure the maintenance of the Caesar self-propelled howitzers it provided to Ukraine.
Countries within the "Joint Expeditionary Force" initiative (the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, the Baltic states, and the Netherlands) have invited Ukraine to join an expanded partnership.
"For more than three years, the Russian people have been mobilized for a brutal war in Ukraine. Only Russia itself can acknowledge its strategic and moral defeat and withdraw from all Ukrainian territory. However, as long as the war continues, we support and will continue to support Ukraine. Understanding that impunity encourages the aggressor to continue its crimes, we will continue seeking ways to ensure legal accountability for Russia for its act of aggression against Ukraine... so that past crimes do not provide cover for today’s crimes," said the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas and foreign ministers of European countries honored fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Lviv.
"This day symbolizes peace. And peace is precisely what we strive for in Ukraine. Our presence here today (May 9) is a testament to unity and unwavering solidarity with Ukraine. If you stand for peace, you should be here—in Ukraine, not in Moscow," she said.
EU Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, listed five mistakes the West risks repeating in the Russian-Ukrainian war, based on lessons from World War II: insufficient assistance to Ukraine, failure to clearly distinguish the aggressor from the victim for some, hopes for good relations with the aggressor—Putin, recognizing Crimea’s occupation, and denying Ukraine the possibility of joining NATO.
"Ukraine agreed to this ceasefire nearly two months ago. Now I expect Russia to do the same. Otherwise, we will be ready to respond decisively, together with all Europeans and in close coordination with the United States," said French President Emmanuel Macron.
The United Kingdom is allocating an additional 25 million pounds (about 29 million euros) for humanitarian projects in Ukraine.
The Norwegian government has decided to extend the agreement with the EU for the evacuation of Ukrainian patients to European countries through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism until March 31, 2026. Oslo is also providing 580 million Norwegian kroner (over 49 million euros) for the UN Refugee Agency's efforts to assist refugees and other people in Ukraine and Moldova who have been affected by Russia’s war.
