First, a surprise visit to the UK to thank the country that “reached out” to Ukraine “while the world has yet to figure out how to react”. Then the “world” understood as the European Union: a trip to Paris to meet the leaders of France and Germany, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz. And finally, the stop in Brussels, where he will speak with MEPs and then with the EU’s other heads of state and government. There is a sequence that has clear diplomatic implications in Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s first tour to European capitals since the outbreak of war. Thank you visits to those who support the resistance against Russia. But at the same time, and above all, to categorically reject the enemy and ask for new commitments to start rebuilding Ukraine’s future.
More jets and helmets as gifts
Zelensky’s first request is about weapons. Speaking to the British parliament after meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Ukrainian president said, “We know that freedom will win. We know that Russia will lose and that victory will change the world.” But to win requires new and more powerful vehicles: tanks have the promise of the USA and Germany. But Kyiv also wants warplanes. To be even more specific, Zelensky gave a Ukrainian military pilot’s helmet to the Speaker of the Parliament, Lindasy Hoyle, in addition to making it clear in her Westminster speech: “In England the king is a pilot, in Ukraine every pilot is a king, because they are so rare and precious”, he commented before going to Charles III.
For now, London doesn’t seem willing to give in to this request right away: “The Prime Minister has instructed the secretary of defense (Ben Wallace, ed) to review what jets we can procure, but to be clear, it’s a long process. Prime Minister Sunak’s spokesman said: what he needs most right now is a long-term solution rather than short-term capability,” he said. Weapons will also be at the center of negotiations with EU leaders. has already announced its request to take delivery as soon as possible. Kyiv understands that supplies are decided by member states, but at the same time, as during his visit to Washington, the president travels “to get results”. Ukrainians want to start pilot training as soon as possible, and do it in “10 weeks” They believe they can finish it.
help node
The other major topic of discussion, first with Macron and Scholz, and then with the rest of the bloc, is urgent financial aid and restructuring. Of the 18 billion euros promised by the EU, 3 billion have reached Kiev so far. For the first tranche, Brussels did not impose any special conditions, but for the remainder of the spoils, the Commission (mainly under pressure from Berlin) drew up a list of recommendations that Zelensky and his government would have to respond to. fighting corruption for justice reforms. Ukraine’s president has sent signals viewed favorably by Brussels, promptly purging ministers, governors and senior officials following a string of corruption scandals. The latest to be sacked on the eve of his European tour is Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, a key figure in the government.
Zelenskiy is well aware that these signals will not be enough to overcome resistance to the risk of a very rapid payment of funds to Ukraine within the EU. Adding to the problem of corruption and the weakness of institutions (which is understandable given the ongoing war) is the fatigue of the European public, grappling with an inflation eroding purchasing power. The relationship between widespread public unease, especially the lower-middle class, and the war in Ukraine could fuel further discontent with governments. And make it harder to tighten the purse strings to feed Kiev.
Russian assets and “bureaucratic prisons”
Therefore, Zelenskiy will bet on funds seized from Russian oligarchs rather than money in EU coffers on his Brussels trip. “We expect progress on reusing the frozen Russian asset file,” European sources said ahead of the summit. said. “We need a map of the bank’s assets and we need an assessment of the obstacles. The ultimate goal is to ensure that Russian assets are used in the rebuilding of Ukraine. Tomorrow the file will not be finalized, but we expect progress”, explain the same sources.
The last point on Brussels’ table is the question of EU entry: Zelensky will – as we learn – ask not to put “artificial barriers” in the way of Ukraine’s entry into the bloc. Kyiv believes that the negotiation process can progress much faster for other countries than in the past, and that the geopolitical conditions are very different. As soon as Ukraine complies with the Commission’s recommendations, Zelensky will avoid “bureaucratic arrests” and demand that negotiations begin immediately. The same Albania and North Macedonia ended up waiting at the door even though they finished their homework for a while.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
