Brussels, 11/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 12 February, heads of state and government will discuss the situation in Ukraine. The meeting will be attended by Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, despite the fact that discussions were expected to take place on Wednesday, 11 February in the evening, as part of the Normandy format (Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany).
President Poroshenko was invited by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and he will inform the heads of state and government about developments in the Ukraine. According to one European source, this invitation is the “political signal” that the EU has been and is on the side of the Ukrainians.
The Europeans will then meet between themselves to discuss the situation in Ukraine, where fighting continues, as well as relations with Russia, in light of the Minsk discussions. Tusk said in his letter of invitation that “we will assess the situation and evaluate all appropriate measures”. According to several European sources, the content of the discussions will depend on the results or lack of results of the Minsk meeting. One European source said “the scenario could be black, positive or grey and, as we are aware, there are 50 shades of grey”. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and the French President, François Hollande, are expected to report back on the results of the meeting to their counterparts.
European sources explained that if Minsk were a failure, the leaders would need to assess this failure and draw the necessary conclusions. They also added that the leaders might call on the institutions to work on additional measures or decide on extending the measures that have not yet been introduced. Another source, however, expressed doubts about very precise conclusions being drawn from the informal meeting due to the fact that it will be held just a few hours ahead of the Minsk meeting.
The question of Ukraine and relations with Russia are already on the European Council programme for March. New macro-financial aid to Ukraine may be decided on at Ecofin on Tuesday 17 February. According to one European source, the €1.8 billion announced by the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, on 8 January (see EUROPE 11226) is still being mooted, with the possibility of an extension. (Camille-Cerise Gessant and JK, EL, MB)