EU pledges ‘unwavering support’ to Ukraine after Donald Trump’s win

The European Union’s overseas argumentation main Josep Borrell has pledged “unwavering” support for Ukraine, connected his first sojourn to Kyiv aft Donald Trump’s US statesmanlike win.

Trump’s triumph successful nan United States predetermination has caused interest successful Ukraine and Europe that nan volatile Republican could extremity Washington’s support for Kyiv’s conflict against Russia’s invasion.

“The clear intent of this sojourn is to definitive European Union support to Ukraine – this support remains unwavering,” Borrell, who is group to time off agency adjacent month, told journalists successful Kyiv connected Saturday.

“This support is perfectly needed for you to proceed defending yourself against Russian aggression,” he added.

During his statesmanlike campaign, Trump suggested that Ukraine mightiness person to cede territory to Russia to scope a bid deal, thing Ukraine has rejected and US President Joe Biden has ne'er suggested.

Speaking to European leaders astatine a acme successful Hungary connected Thursday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Europe and nan US not to loosen ties pursuing nan predetermination of Trump.

“There has been overmuch talk astir nan request to output to Putin, to backmost down, to make immoderate concessions … It’s unacceptable for Ukraine and unacceptable for each Europe,” Zelenskyy said.

“We request capable weapons, not support successful talks. Hugs pinch Putin won’t help. Some of you person been hugging him for 20 years, and things are only getting worse,” he added.

On nan run trail, Trump had besides formed uncertainty connected maintaining nan immense US subject and financial assistance to Ukraine and said he could trim a speedy woody to extremity nan war.

“Nobody knows precisely what nan caller management is going to do,” Borrell said connected Saturday, pointing retired that Biden still has 2 months successful powerfulness to make decisions.

“We person to do much and faster, much subject support, much training capacities, much money, faster supplies, and besides nan support to onslaught nan force connected its subject targets connected its territory,” Borrell said.

The EU overseas argumentation main besides noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn’t want to discuss and will not discuss unless he is forced to do it”.

On Thursday, Putin congratulated Trump connected his statesmanlike triumph and said that Trump’s comments connected restoring “relations pinch Russia” and helping “end nan Ukrainian crisis”, successful his opinion, “deserves attraction astatine least”.

So far, Europe has spent astir $125bn connected supporting Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion, while nan United States unsocial has spent much than $90bn, according to a locator from nan Germany-based Kiel Institute.

Keeping Washington, Ukraine’s azygous biggest donor, onboard is seen by astir arsenic cardinal to ensuring Kyiv tin conflict back, particularly during governmental uncertainty successful awesome European powers, specified arsenic Germany and France.

With countries specified arsenic Hungary, which reason subject support for Ukraine, emboldened aft Trump’s win, getting statement wrong nan EU to do much could beryllium difficult.

Meanwhile, connected nan battlefield, Ukraine’s fatigued soldiers are struggling to stave disconnected Russia’s advances arsenic they attack 3 years of full-scale combat.

At slightest 1 personification was killed successful nan Black Sea larboard metropolis of Odesa, and much than 30 were injured crossed nan state aft Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles into Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials said connected Saturday.

Russian drones besides struck Kharkiv successful nan northeast, wounding astatine slightest 25 people.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reiterated Kyiv’s insistence that it should not beryllium forced to make concessions to Russia.

“Everyone needs to realise that appeasement of nan aggressor will not work,” he said.

“We request existent peace, not appeasement that will bring much war.”