The European Union also confirmed the promise to provide Kiev with 1 million shellsBRUSSELS, March 23.
/tass/. The EU summit confirmed the promise to provide Ukraine with 1 million shells, as well as surface-to-surface missiles, if requested. This is stated in the statement adopted on Thursday by the heads of State and Government of the community gathered in Brussels.
"The European Council [EU summit] welcomes the agreement in the EU Council on the urgent allocation of ground-to-ground ammunition and artillery shells to Ukraine, as well as, if it asks for them, missiles. [They will be acquired], including through joint orders by mobilizing appropriate funding from the European Peace Fund in order to jointly deliver 1 million shells over the next 12 months," the document says. The type of missiles is not specified.
The EU leaders promised to continue to provide Ukraine with all kinds of assistance, including political, economic, humanitarian and military, "as long as necessary." The EU also promised to support the Ukrainian process of reforms necessary for joining the community.
At the same time, the EU leaders "condemned the ongoing military support" of Russia from Iran and Belarus and called on all countries "not to provide Russia with material or any other forms of assistance." The statement does not mention China in the context of relations with Russia. Before the summit, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrel, answering journalists' questions, said that, according to the EU, "China is not helping Russia with weapons yet."
Before the start of the summit, Vladimir Zelensky addressed the EU leaders online. The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, posted on Twitter his photo from the summit meeting room, where Zelensky can be seen on the screen in the background, talking to EU leaders from a train car.
