On Tuesday 24 January, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kornienko, said that the delivery of arms to Ukraine was not charity, calling for additional equipment.
“Supplying arms to Ukraine is not charity; it is about bringing peace to Europe “, he told the European Parliament, adding that he was expecting “dynamic support” from the EU. He said his country needed artillery and ammunition, “to be able to defend itself and carry out counter-offensive operations”. “The more we can react, the less damaging Russian aggression will be,” he summarised.
After weeks of hesitation, the German government decided on Wednesday 25 January to authorise the sending of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Berlin will deliver 14 of them and allow other countries to do the same. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the decision, saying that “at a critical moment in Russia’s war, these can help Ukraine defend itself, win, and establish itself as an independent nation”. US President Joe Biden announced the sending of 31 M1 Abrams tanks.
In the European Parliament, the Swedish Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Defence highlighted that Ukraine was a priority for the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)