The Foreign Affairs Council in ‘Defence’ format will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 28 May to discuss European military support for Ukraine and the European Union’s state of preparedness.
Ukraine. The ministers will first look at European military support for Ukraine. On 8 May (see EUROPE 13407/4), the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy explained that the supply of anti-aircraft systems and ammunition would be the main subject of debate at a time when Russian air attacks are multiplying and the situation on the battlefield is complicated for Ukraine. The High Representative would like an update on the delivery of this military equipment.
The ministers will have the opportunity for informal talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. They will take stock of the latest developments and Ukraine’s most pressing needs.
The Council could return to the ‘European Peace Facility’ and its new ‘Ukraine’ strand (the Ukraine Assistance Fund), while seven decisions still need to be adopted before the funds can be released. These decisions are currently being blocked by Hungary. According to a senior European official, €6.6 billion depends on these decisions, including €5 billion from the Ukraine Assistance Fund.
Similarly, the ministers are expected to take stock of the use of the profits generated by the Russian public assets frozen in the EU (windfall profits), 90% of which will go to the ‘European Peace Facility’ (see EUROPE 13413/21). “For the first time, we will have immediate liquidity”, said a senior official, hoping that the first funds will arrive in July. The High Representative is expected to propose options on how to use some of these funds directly for the defence industry in Ukraine. On 21 May, the EU Council approved the legislative proposal to mobilise the profits generated, but the United States is calling for greater ambition. The subject was due to be discussed at the G7 meeting on 24 and 25 May in Italy on the basis of a US proposal to use the profits generated by Russian public assets to borrow on the markets with leverage (see EUROPE 13414/16).
EUMAM Ukraine’s military assistance mission and the need or otherwise to review its mandate in order to allow training to take place on Ukrainian soil should also be addressed. The mission has already trained 50,000 Ukrainians and a further 10,000 should be trained by the end of the summer. The strategic review of the mission will be carried out in the autumn.
State of preparedness. Over lunch, the Council will discuss defence preparedness, focusing on strengthening the EU’s defence technological and industrial base. Ministers are expected to discuss the European Defence Industry Strategy and Programme (EDIS and EDIP) presented on 5 March (see EUROPE 13364/2).
Current affairs. The ministers will briefly discuss certain commitments in terms of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), notably in the Sahel, following the closure of EUTM Mali (see EUROPE 13407/33). They will also look at the Aspides Red Sea operation.
They are also expected to return to the development of the EU’s rapid response capability, which should be operational in 2025.
Finally, the Council will take stock of the strategic review of permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) to see what has already been done and what could be done.
EDA. Ahead of the Council, the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board will be held. It will approve the EDA’s long-term review for 2024, which sets out a strengthened mandate for the Agency.
Ministers will also be presented with a preliminary assessment of new opportunities for collaboration arising from the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) so that they can provide early guidance. The CARD report is expected to be approved in November 2024. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)