EU foreign ministers gather in Kiev for first overseas meeting

Kiev, Ukraine | XINHUA | Some foreign ministers of the EU members on Monday met in Kiev for their first meeting outside the bloc, said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

“I am convinced that this meeting will speed up the European integration of Ukraine,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, while opening the informal gathering.

Addressing the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country stands ready to implement seven recommendations of the European Commission to start negotiations on membership this year, thanking the EU for providing aid for Ukraine.

He voiced hope that the bloc will approve a new financial instrument with a total funding of 50 billion euros (about 52.37 billion U.S. dollars) for the 2024-2027 period, calling on the foreign ministers to continue diplomatic work on the implementation of Ukraine’s Peace Formula.

High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said the total amount of EU’s aid to Ukraine has reached 85 billion euros (around 89 billion U.S. dollars) and the EU will support the country for as long as necessary.

“I proposed a new bilateral multi-annual envelope under the European Peace Facility (EPF), of up to 5 billion euros (around 5.24 billion U.S. dollars) for the next year and more will come,” Borrell told a joint press conference with Kuleba after the meeting.

In June 2022, EU leaders accepted Ukraine as a candidate for membership of the bloc. ■