The EU's foreign policy body, the European External Action Service (EEAS), has developed a draft plan to provide Ukraine with "security obligations" that provide for constant military support and cooperation.
Proposals of the EU foreign ministry on "security guarantees" for Ukraine, which currently have the status of recommendations, cover options ranging from "sustainable" arms supplies, continuing military exercises, sharing intelligence, to helping establish ties between Ukrainian and European defence companies.
A key element of such commitments is the creation of a "special" fund for long-term military support for Ukraine, which will be valid until 2027. European officials are due to announce the creation of such a fund soon.
Under this fund, the EU will spend four billion euros by the end of the year to help Ukraine with weapons, and over time, it will develop to purchase "more sophisticated and costly weapons systems", such as missiles and fighter jets.
"The more we can talk about long-term engagements, the more we can send Putin the message that he cannot count on European fatigue, due to elections or whatever other reason," an EU diplomat told Politico.
However, he added, this "doesn’t mean we [the EU. – ed.] are betting that the war will last".
Earlier, the media reported that a small group of NATO states is conducting "frantic last-minute negotiations" in order to complete work on the declaration about security guarantees for Ukraine on the eve of the NATO summit in Lithuania on 11–12 July.
On Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that the group of seven countries will adopt a joint declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine after the onset of peace.
