German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to reporters before the start of an extraordinary EU summit in Brussels, February 9, 2023.
Brussels – The presidents and prime ministers of the countries of the European Union started an extraordinary summit this morning. The heads of the EU states want to express united support to Ukraine and promise further arms deliveries and financial aid to the country, which has been resisting Russian aggression for almost a year. In the afternoon, they will also discuss the possibilities of limiting the growing number of migrants heading to Europe or the support of European companies. However, the negotiations began today with a minute of silence for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, said the spokesman of the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi arrived at the summit in the afternoon.
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Photo gallery: President Zelensky's visit to Europe
Today, at the very beginning of their meeting, the heads of state and government of the EU bloc emphasized that the EU is ready to continue helping and providing support to the affected areas. According to them, the countries of the European bloc have already sent 1,600 rescuers to the disaster sites.
The summit also welcomed the organization of a donor conference in Brussels in March, which is organized by the Swedish EU presidency with the European Commission. The earthquake that struck the area on the border between Turkey and Syria on Monday claimed over 17,000 lives, according to the latest tally.
“It is very important that the EU increases the support it provides to Ukraine,” Michel, who chairs the summit, said shortly before the start of the summit. Heads of member states spoke similarly when they arrived at the meeting, talking about further arms deliveries or the rapid adoption of anti-Russian sanctions. According to EU officials, Zelenskyj, who visited the European Parliament before the summit, is going to ask the leaders for a quick supply of new weapons and ammunition in anticipation of the Russian offensive. He will probably also talk about his country's rapid entry into the EU.
According to the proposed text of the conclusions, the summit should support Zelensky's peace plan or the establishment of an international center for the investigation of crimes in Ukraine. He will also appreciate Ukraine's reforms on the way to the EU, but will not comment on the specific time horizon of the country's possible entry into the European bloc. to help Ukraine.
