EU agrees another €500 million for Ukrainian arms

Flags of the European Union fly outside the EU Commission Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

"Today, at the EU foreign ministers meeting a political agreement was reached regarding the fifth tranche military assistance to Ukraine," Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said.

This money will allow the EU to continue buying equipment and supplies for Ukraine's military, including lethal weapons, which it has stated should be used for defense purposes.

EU rules usually prevent the bloc using its seven year budget to finance military operations. However, the so-called European Peace Facility has a limit at €5bn and can be used for military aid.

Officials from the EU described it as a historic moment in which the EU approved the first tranches of aid immediately after Russia invaded.

However, Ukraine has already received half of the 7-year facility after only five months. It is not clear how the EU will continue to finance the purchase and delivery weapons and equipment.

Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, stated that it was very likely that war will continue. He wanted to demonstrate to Ukraine that the EU is not giving up and said that he expected EU ambassadors later in the week to approve a new EU ban on Russian gold imports.

"I am certain (Russian President Vladimir Putin) Putin is counting upon the democratic fatigue." Borrell added that European societies can't afford fatigue.

Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's foreign minister, also demanded that Europeans keep the course. He stated that while governments and parliaments are heading off for summer recess this year, Russian troops "have no plans to attack Ukraine in free days".

An oil embargo and ban on transactions with Russia's central banks, as well as freezing assets and stopping new Russian investments, are just some of the unprecedented Western sanctions against Russia.

Putin, however, has reiterated his resolve to continue the "special military operations" in Ukraine, despite the destruction and death of many Ukrainian cities.

($1 = €0.9914)

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