European leaders are expected to assure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of long-term support on Thursday after U.S. President Joe Biden voiced concerns that Republican infighting in Congress could impact American policy on continuing aid to Kyiv.
Zelenskiy will attend the European Political Community summit in Granada, Spain, which aims to foster cooperation among over 40 countries established in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. His attendance was not publicly announced to ensure security. Officials familiar with the plans revealed that Zelenskiy will use the summit to advocate for additional military aid, including air defense systems.
In a video message on Wednesday, Zelenskiy stated, “We are preparing for intensive international activities – this week and next week should be productive for Ukraine.”
The summit in Granada also provides an opportunity for leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine amidst recent political turbulence in the U.S. and Europe that raised doubts about ongoing support.
In the U.S., a dispute among the Republican majority in the House of Representatives has complicated budget negotiations and led President Biden to express concerns. Biden stated, “It does worry me,” before acknowledging that a majority of House and Senate members from both parties support funding Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in Slovakia, former prime minister Robert Fico’s party won the general election by pledging to halt military aid to Ukraine. In Poland, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced last month that his country would no longer provide arms to Ukraine and would focus on rebuilding its own weapon stocks.
However, some officials from Ukraine, the European Union (EU), and NATO have downplayed these developments, asserting that support for Kyiv will remain steadfast as it aligns with the West’s interests. Chancellor Scholz expressed confidence that the U.S. would continue its support for Ukraine.
Alongside topics like transport, energy, and artificial intelligence, the summit agenda includes discussions on escalating crises between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as between Serbia and Kosovo. Recent EU mediation efforts have struggled in resolving these conflicts.
EU officials initially aimed to schedule the first meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia since Baku’s military operation to seize control of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians. However, hopes were dashed when the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, decided not to attend the summit. Chancellor Scholz, President Macron, and European Council President Charles Michel would also have been present.
Despite condemnation from many EU leaders, the Azerbaijani operation is accused by Armenia of ethnic cleansing, a claim denied by Baku, which extended an invitation for Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh to remain. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is slated to participate in the summit, and European officials expressed their intent to provide humanitarian aid, political support, and economic assistance to his government.
Reporting by Andrew Gray; Additional reporting by Andreas Rinke in Berlin; editing by Grant McCool
Credit: The Star : News Feed
