site.btaEU's Top Diplomat Borrell: We Want War in Ukraine to End as Soon as Possible, the Question is How

Addressing MEPs in Brussels during a debate on Donald Trump's re-election as US president, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that "we want the war in Ukraine to end as soon as possible, but the question is how". 

Borrell stressed the need for a lasting and just solution to the war in Ukraine. He added that an agreement between Washington and Moscow must take into account the views of Kyiv and the EU. "Ukraine would reject such a solution, and we must do so too," Borrell added.

In his words, the EU provides more support to Ukraine than the United States, but the US has a 25% lead in military supplies. He added that the EU may have to fill that gap after Trump takes office. This would require additional financial and production efforts on the part of the EU, Borrell said. He suggested that not only profits from seized Russian assets but also the assets themselves should be used to boost Ukrainian military production.

Borrell expressed concern about whether US military aid might become conditional in the future. The EU must honour its promises to Ukrainian people and help them defend themselves, he added.

The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said that Trump's re-election signals profound political shifts in the US, arguing that they are likely to reshape relations with the EU. "We must be prepared and cautious, without giving the impression of being caught off guard," he said.