Gymnich: press remarks by Excessive Consultant Kaja Kallas after the assembly

Check towards supply! 

Good afternoon, all people. Glad to see so a lot of you right here.  

We simply concluded a productive assembly with European defence ministers. Thank you, Troels, as soon as once more, for internet hosting us right here in Copenhagen. 

We had three essential points as we speak on the agenda. First, the defence of Ukraine. Second, European defence readiness. And third, EU army missions and operations. 

So first, Ukraine. The previous weeks, now we have seen diplomatic efforts to finish Russia’s conflict. It is obvious that Europe desires peace. America desires peace. Ukraine desires peace. Who doesn’t need peace is Russia. 

It is obvious, as a result of Russia responds to those peace efforts with missile assaults. Wednesday’s assault on Kyiv reveals how deliberate the selection of Russia is to escalate and in addition mock the peace efforts. President Zelenskyy has clearly expressed already a number of months in the past to be prepared for the talks. But Putin is stalling by any means attainable, and due to this fact Ukraine must be supported by army goals. This stays essential. 

The EU and our Member States have already supplied over €63 billion in army help to Ukraine for the reason that conflict started, and in 2025 €25 billion. I welcome that a number of EU Member States have made new pledges simply within the final days – assist to Ukraine saves lives.   

We should proceed to step up. The European Peace Facility can present funding to help this effort. It can reimburse Member States for weapons bought for Ukraine, together with for supporting NATO’s PURL initiatives, so the continued blocking of the EPF is just not justified. Resolving this swiftly is vital for the work between Europe and in addition United States to help Ukraine. And bilateral points should not block the help. 

Today, Ministers additionally mentioned the European Union’s position in safety ensures, and it’s clear that Europe will totally pay its half. I welcome that there’s a broad help as we speak to develop our EUMAM, army mission [in Ukraine], mandate to offer coaching and recommendation inside Ukraine after any truce.  

We are the most important supplier of coaching to Ukraine’s army. We have educated over 80,000 troopers thus far, and we should be able to do extra. This may embody putting EU trainers in Ukraine and army academies and establishments. In parallel, our civilian mission can strengthen Ukraine’s resilience towards Russian hybrid assaults. We may do extra for Ukraine’s defence business, however they actually study on the battlefield might be additionally become the energy of Europe. 

We are already the most important investor in Ukraine defence business, and we may help Ukraine open manufacturing traces right here in Europe and encourage larger European funding additionally in Ukraine. Denmark has a number one manner right here, actually commend you on that.  

Going ahead, we’ll intently coordinate with the Coalition of the Willing. Ministers had been clear that the safety ensures for Ukraine should be strong and credible. 2022 should not be allowed to repeat. 

Then, European-owned defence. At the June European Council, leaders agreed to extend defence spending and make investments higher collectively. EU Member States recognized 9 precedence areas, equivalent to air and missile defence, drones, and ammunition. Today, Ministers mentioned methods to shut essentially the most pressing functionality gaps, and principally, to do it collectively, to do it collectively. And to be simpler. 

We are figuring out lead nations for every space by October’s European Council, alongside with the roadmap for defence with clear goals and milestones.  

Europe is spending document sums on defence – money issues, however provided that it delivers actual capabilities, and provided that we do it collectively.  

Finally, on European Union, army missions and operations, over 5000 European personnel serve worldwide as we speak. They keep safety and security within the Balkans, shield delivery within the Red Sea, and in addition fight piracy within the Indian Ocean. These missions are very important to international safety. 

Today, Ministers mentioned the methods to make sure these missions higher help European Union geopolitical pursuits. Where we will have most impact, the place we can’t. How we must always make these operations actually work along with the accomplice nations to deal with their wants, in order that we’re capable of overview the mandates, if crucial, and in addition to overview the influence for the instances to come back.  

Many vital subjects, and it was a very good dialogue. Thank you, and I’m able to take your questions. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-275993 

 

Q&A. 

Q. We have simply obtained data that Israelis are declaring Gaza a fight zone and suspending all of the pauses humanitarian insurance policies agreed thus far. I would love you to provide us a response, as a result of it might influence the discussions tomorrow. And secondly, that is for each of you. When you say that the EPF may also be used for the PURL initiative, so precedence purchases for US man-made arms for Ukraine. Do you hope that that is going to spin the story in a manner that maybe a sure Member State will lastly deblock one thing that has been blocking for ages now? Thank you. 

Thank you.  

I have to say that we had the conferences all day with out the telephones, so I truly obtained this data additionally simply seconds in the past earlier than coming right here. I’m not able to touch upon this. It is actually not making issues any simpler or higher, however I may also look into this. 

Now, in the case of the PURL initiative, then it’s true that within the EPF, now we have €6.6 billion blocked, and now we have supplied to our Hungarian colleagues other ways out, decide out, like they’ve in NATO additionally. Different potentialities that aren’t a part of the authorized assist or something of a kind. But it has not been, now we have not been, efficient thus far. Now now we have the PURL initiative, which implies that shopping for weapons from America, if we may unblock this 6.6 billion, as additionally our totally different colleagues are fairly often additionally Hungarian colleagues, referring to President Trump’s efforts – that is precisely what’s it for. So, if we may unblock by this, and the 6.6 billion could possibly be used within the PURL initiative, then it may positively make a distinction. And all of the nations as we speak had been elevating this subject of unblocking. You would not have to be a part of it, however let others then do it. 

 

Q. I’ve been one thing known as the Baltic defence line, an enormous undertaking being made within the Baltic nations, defending them towards the attainable Russian aggression. They are money strapped. They are in search of additional funding. They are asking the EU for help and funding. Will they get that? 

Well, there are a number of, a number of factors right here. First, what we mentioned as we speak can also be the joint initiatives and the place Member States can are available in, as a result of the Baltic nations additionally,  border nations, had been elevating that they’re type of the gatekeepers of Russia. And that’s the reason it’s in all people’s curiosity to put money into that. Now now we have additionally the European price range. The Commission has proposed this undertaking, however this can be underneath discussions, first within the Council, however on the similar time within the European Parliament. So sure, there ought to be extra funding, as it’s positively a gatekeeping to maintain Russia away, however ultimately, it’s upon the choice makers to resolve allocate sources. This proposal is there. 

 

Q. You spoke about potential EU trainers on the bottom in Ukraine. Can you simply make clear you made a change of mandate after a possible ceasefire, and may you inform us, do you suppose that is in any manner real looking? You stated there’s broad help. What does that imply? I imagine you would want unanimity for this. You simply launched a press release with solely 26 nations simply mainly condemning these Russian assaults which broken the EU mission. If you may’t even get 27 nations on a fundamental assertion like that, are you able to ever think about getting settlement unanimously on one thing like a change of the mandate for EU trainers on the bottom? 

Well, once we are 27 and 26 are on board, then it’s a broad help. I can say that it’s a broad help. But sure, the dialogue that we had was concerning the change of mandate. It is a bit additionally hen and egg points. Like you say, it’s true that we’re speaking about altering the mandate or coaching on Ukrainian soil if there’s ceasefire. So some are saying that we must always do it after, however we will additionally do it conditionally, in order that, we agree already how we alter the mandate, in order that it could be conditional when the ceasefire or truce enters into power when it’s truly wanted. Now, what now we have to bear in mind is that there’s a Coalition of the Willing for the safety ensures. There is a dialogue with the Americans about their backstop. Americans have been very clear. Europeans need to be main right here. So once more, we have to present how we’re taking duty for sure tracks and coaching is has been on Europe, and we’re able to do it on Ukraine and soil as soon as there’s a truce. And then, that is additionally one argument to our buddies who’re saying that that truce is vital, peace is vital, however it might solely be simply and lasting if there are credible safety ensures. And one of many parts of the credible safety ensures is the EU coaching the army mission in addition to the civilian mission. 

 

Q. You talked about that the EU is the most important investor in Ukrainian defence. I wish to know amongst whom? If the assault is coming from the east, after which from the west the United States spoke about lowering their help to Ukraine, giving the main place, as you simply talked about, to the EU. My different query is that, do you take a look at this announcement from the United States of America to provide the European the main position right here, particularly in the case of the Russian Ukrainian battle positively or how do you understand this? 

First on the Ukraine defence business. I used to be saying that Europe has been the principle investor in Ukraine defence business, and one of many concepts is to additionally deliver this business to Europe, which implies creating jobs right here in Europe as effectively. It is obvious that we’d like all to take a position extra in defence. Ukraine has all the teachings realized from the precise fight; what is required, what works, what doesn’t. So it is usually in the good thing about European Union to have it in in in Europe.  

Now, to your different query. America has been very clear that in this conflict, Europe needs to be the one who’s doing essentially the most. We are giving essentially the most army help to Ukraine. We have already accomplished that. But once we discuss safety ensures, then they’ve been very clear that they’re discussing, and are capable of present the backstop, if Europeans take the bulk or, like they are saying, the lion’s share. That is the message to us, and that’s what we’re discussing, that we’re capable of fulfill. To have them on board, then we additionally want to indicate that we’re doing a lot. Am I completely satisfied or not? I’d say that I’d be so completely satisfied if this conflict could be over. 

 

Q. There have been three missile assaults towards the Druzhba crude oil pipeline, which helps not less than two European Member States. And in January, the European Commission pledged in writing that it could take actions towards assaults like this, however just lately, there’s not an excessive amount of what we will see. Why does the Commission not see it as a direct risk towards European Union Member States and the important infrastructure? 

Of course, what we what now we have to bear in mind is that one of the locations the place the Russians get most sources to wage this conflict is oil, fuel, fossil fuels. So due to this fact, the Commission has proposed a roadmap to actually eliminate the Russian fossil fuels, as a result of it’s a bit contradictory that we attempt to cease this conflict however on the similar time, we’re the principle consumers, as European nations, of the fossil fuels that really gas this conflict. This is, ultimately, the goal, the purpose of the European Union to eliminate the Russian fossil fuels. Of course, any assaults on European soil, we at all times condemn. Thank you. 

 

Q. Copenhagen goes to supply secure haven to Ukrainian defence firms. I used to be questioning what sort of weapons had been going are going to be produced right here in Denmark. Also, if every other European nations have raised their hand and supplied to additionally supply comparable secure haven to Ukrainian protection firms. 

On the opposite query, many nations have indicated that they’re considering investments to the defence business, bringing the defence business to their soil, as a result of it means jobs, and it means additionally prosperity for that nation, contemplating how a lot cash there’s coming to the defence sector. I’m not supplying you with concrete names, however for those who look by way of totally different statements, what totally different nations have made, they’re welcoming the defence business. Also making element planning for having this business, as a result of they’ve very concrete circumstances. Definitely welcoming such growth. 

 

Q. The dialogue on these safety ensures, all of them construct on the concept of American backstop. But for those who see the soundness of what President Trump is promising, or saying, can you actually construct on that? In the longer term, ought to Europe not discover one other strategy to obtain some form of safety assure for Ukraine. 

Actually, it’s the different manner round. You may say that it is usually what comes first, as a result of the Americans are saying they’re offering the backstop, if we’re taking the lion’s share. So [as] Europeans, what we’re discussing is to take that lion’s share so as to additionally invite the Americans in. So, not placing the principle burden on the Americans, however inviting them to be a part of it – like now we have these discussions ongoing. That is conditional that we do extra ourselves; and that is solely what we will focus on ourselves, what extra we will do. 

 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-276259