EU defence ministers to discuss military aid for Ukraine in Brussels

EU defence ministers will meet in Brussels on Tuesday, May 12, for a working lunch during a Foreign Affairs Council session focused on military support for Ukraine, with Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov joining online, along with NATO representatives.

An EU official and a European diplomat said the meeting will begin with a presentation of an EU threat analysis prepared as part of work on the bloc’s new security strategy, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

A working lunch will then follow, during which ministers are expected to discuss military assistance to Ukraine, including the possible use of part of a €60 billion EU loan to support the Ukrainian armed forces, procurement of weapons and ammunition, and the participation of Ukraine’s defence industry in the SAFE mechanism.

Before lunch, an online discussion will be held with Mykhailo Fedorov.

Ministers are also expected to speak with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, including on the PURL initiative and defence-industrial cooperation issues.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov