EU leaders to decide on new military aid for Ukraine at March 6 summit

The heads of state and government of the European Union will define the details and scope of a new military aid package for Ukraine during an emergency summit on March 6.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the upcoming decision following a meeting of the EU Council in Brussels, Caliber.Az reports referring to Russian media.

"The ministers discussed a new initiative to provide military assistance to Ukraine. The details and volumes will be discussed at the EU emergency summit on March 6," Kallas stated during a press conference.

She noted that there was broad support for the initiative among EU ministers. "Today, I saw widespread support for the initiative. We did not discuss specific amounts, as EU leaders will determine them," she added. Expressing urgency, Kallas emphasized the need for swift action. "The problem is that we don't have time. That’s why I am pushing [for the initiative to be developed by EU services] so that a decision is made on March 6. I am optimistic," she said.

The discussion on military aid comes amid reports that the EU is considering a package of up to €700 billion for Ukraine. These reports surfaced following statements from the new US administration, which signalled a shift in approach, stressing that the conflict must be resolved as soon as possible and that Ukraine has no place in NATO. Washington also indicated that the military aid already provided to Kyiv, amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars, needs to be compensated.

Meanwhile, the EU continues to ramp up pressure on Russia. Kallas announced that work is already underway on the 17th package of sanctions against Moscow, following the recent adoption of the 16th sanctions package.

"We made an important decision – we approved the 16th package of sanctions. And we will continue working on the 17th package," she stated, without providing details or a timeline for the new measures.

The latest sanctions include a ban on importing primary aluminium, the addition of 74 vessels to the blacklist, which are allegedly part of Russia’s "shadow fleet," and restrictions on 48 individuals, 35 legal entities, and 53 companies. Among the targeted companies are entities based in China, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and the UAE.

Beyond military aid and sanctions, the EU is also considering the transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys expressed frustration over delays in making a decision on this matter, calling for urgent action.

"I consider March the deadline by which a decision on Russia’s frozen assets must finally be made so that we are not left empty-handed," Budrys said in an interview with Lithuanian media. "This would be a serious basis for inviting us to the negotiating table for peace."

Budrys questioned why the EU has been hesitant, citing concerns over potential economic and financial risks. "They talk about certain economic and financial risks. Let's identify them, and let each EU member involved in the collective decision take on a share of these risks," he argued.

Following the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, the EU, along with Canada, the US, and Japan, froze approximately $300 billion in Russian assets. Of this amount, about $5-6 billion is held in the US, while the majority — $210 billion— is stored at Euroclear, a major international clearinghouse based in Belgium.

By Tamilla Hasanova