Ukraine’s mission to the EU sent the European Union a letter of request, which the European External Action Service received on Thursday, 24 February.
According to the Ukrainians, their most urgent need is the provision of anti-missile and air defence systems, “especially including those with a range above 4,000 [metres]”, and an anti-ship system.
Ukraine also wants the EU to block or interfere with the operation of satellite navigation systems in the air and over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Similarly, the EU and its Member States should use all possible means to block the work of the Russian satellite navigation system GLONASS. The system’s signal needs to be “[jammed] over the Black Sea and [the] Sea of Azov and [the] airspace of Ukraine, as well as on the territory of Belarus”.
The Ukrainians are also calling for a total trade embargo and for real estate owned by those sanctioned to be seized. “We demand the disconnection of Russia from SWIFT”, pleaded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Twitter; Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal tweeted out a similar statement.
The Ukrainians add, “all possible and fiercest restriction measures” should be taken against Belarus, “which directly supported Russian full-scale military invasion”.
Likewise, they call for the termination of software licences for military and civilian equipment in Russia and Belarus. According to the Ukrainians, it is also necessary to explore all the options available to the EU and its Member States that would enable them to immediately shut down all communication systems.
Furthermore, Ukraine calls for the findings of any research and innovation cooperation with Russia and Belarus in the context of NATO or EU programmes to be blocked and for Russia to face consequences in the framework of interregional cooperation programmes, including its exclusion from the Black Sea cooperation programme.
Finally, the Ukrainians request that the EU be prepared to use the Civil Protection Mechanism to address the urgent needs of Ukrainian citizens and regions affected by the Russian invasion. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)