Informal assembly of defence ministers: press remarks by Excessive Consultant Kaja Kallas after the assembly

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Good afternoon, everyone. Glad to see so lots 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 important points as we speak on the agenda. First, the defence of Ukraine. Second, European defence readiness. And third, EU navy missions and operations. 

So first, Ukraine. The previous weeks, we’ve seen diplomatic efforts to finish Russia’s struggle. It is evident that Europe needs peace. America needs peace. Ukraine needs peace. Who doesn’t need peace is Russia. 

It is evident, 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 subsequently Ukraine must be supported by navy goals. This stays essential. 

The EU and our Member States have already supplied over €63 billion in navy help to Ukraine for the reason that struggle started, and in 2025 €25 billion. I welcome that a number of EU Member States have made new pledges simply within the final days – help 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 just isn’t justified. Resolving this swiftly is essential 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 absolutely pay its half. I welcome that there’s a broad help as we speak to increase our EUMAM, navy mission [in Ukraine], mandate to supply coaching and recommendation inside Ukraine after any truce.  

We are the most important supplier of coaching to Ukraine’s navy. We have skilled over 80,000 troopers to date, and we have to be able to do extra. This might embody inserting EU trainers in Ukraine and navy academies and establishments. In parallel, our civilian mission can strengthen Ukraine’s resilience in opposition to Russian hybrid assaults. We may also do extra for Ukraine’s defence trade, however they actually be taught on the battlefield could be additionally became the energy of Europe. 

We are already the largest investor in Ukraine defence trade, and we might help Ukraine open manufacturing traces right here in Europe and encourage higher European funding additionally in Ukraine. Denmark has a number one means right here, actually commend you on that.  

Going ahead, we are going to carefully coordinate with the Coalition of the Willing. Ministers had been clear that the safety ensures for Ukraine have to 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, akin 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 aims 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, navy missions and operations, over 5000 European personnel serve worldwide as we speak. They keep safety and security within the Balkans, shield transport 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 are able to have most impact, the place we can’t. How we must always make these operations actually work along with the companion nations to deal with their wants, in order that we’re in a position to evaluate the mandates, if essential, and in addition to evaluate the influence for the occasions to come back.  

Many essential 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 acquired info that Israelis are declaring Gaza a fight zone and suspending all of the pauses humanitarian insurance policies agreed to date. I would love you to offer 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 can 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 means 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 really acquired this info 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 will even look into this. 

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

Q. I’ve been taking a look at one thing referred to as the Baltic defence line, an enormous venture being made within the Baltic nations, defending them in opposition to 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 everyone’s curiosity to put money into that. Now we’ve additionally the European funds. The Commission has proposed this venture, however this will likely be beneath discussions, first within the Council, however on the identical time within the European Parliament. So sure, there must be extra funding, as it’s positively a gatekeeping to maintain Russia away, however ultimately, it’s upon the choice makers to determine tips on how to allocate assets. 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 might you inform us, do you suppose that is in any means reasonable? You stated there may be 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 primary 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 in regards to 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 are able to 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 drive when it’s really wanted. Now, what we’ve to remember 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 accountability 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 associates who’re saying that that truce is essential, peace is essential, however it will possibly solely be simply and lasting if there are credible safety ensures. And one of many components of the credible safety ensures is the EU coaching the navy mission in addition to the civilian mission. 

Q. You talked about that the EU is the most important investor in Ukrainian defence. I want 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 have a look at this announcement from the United States of America to offer the European the main position right here, particularly in relation to the Russian Ukrainian battle positively or how do you understand this? 

First on the Ukraine defence trade. I used to be saying that Europe has been the primary investor in Ukraine defence trade, and one of many concepts is to additionally deliver this trade to Europe, which implies creating jobs right here in Europe as effectively. It is evident that we’d like all to take a position extra in defence. Ukraine has all the teachings discovered from the precise fight; what is required, what works, what doesn’t. So additionally it is 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 struggle, Europe must be the one who’s doing essentially the most. We are giving essentially the most navy help to Ukraine. We have already carried out that. But once we discuss safety ensures, then they’ve been very clear that they’re discussing, and are in a position to 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 in a position to fulfill. To have them on board, then we additionally want to point out that we’re doing a lot. Am I completely satisfied or not? I might say that I might be so completely satisfied if this struggle can be over. 

Q. There have been three missile assaults in opposition to the Druzhba crude oil pipeline, which helps at the very least two European Member States. And in January, the European Commission pledged in writing that it could take actions in opposition to assaults like this, however lately, there may be not an excessive amount of what we are able to see. Why does the Commission not see it as a direct menace in opposition to European Union Member States and the essential infrastructure? 

Of course, what we what we’ve to remember is that one of the locations the place the Russians get most assets to wage this struggle is oil, fuel, fossil fuels. So subsequently, the Commission has proposed a roadmap to essentially do away with the Russian fossil fuels, as a result of it’s a bit contradictory that we attempt to cease this struggle however on the identical time, we’re the primary patrons, as European nations, of the fossil fuels that truly gas this struggle. This is, ultimately, the goal, the objective of the European Union to do away with the Russian fossil fuels. Of course, any assaults on European soil, we all the time 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 some other European nations have raised their hand and supplied to additionally provide comparable secure haven to Ukrainian protection firms. 

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

Q. The dialogue on these safety ensures, all of them construct on the thought 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 approach to obtain some form of safety assure for Ukraine. 

Actually, it’s the different means round. You would possibly say that additionally it is 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 with a view to additionally invite the Americans in. So, not placing the primary burden on the Americans, however inviting them to be a part of it – like we’ve these discussions ongoing. That is conditional that we do extra ourselves; and that is solely what we are able to talk about ourselves, what extra we are able to do. 

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