President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during an address to the participants of the European Council meeting, emphasized the importance of unblocking European Peace Facility funds.
"This is very important. This is EUR 6 billion. This is a significant amount, it must be used for what really helps protect lives. And, if possible, for what has already proven its effectiveness in this war, what works, really works. Please support the rapid use of these funds so that no life is lost due to delays. The money can be used for air defense, long-range shells, and other capabilities that are already proving their effectiveness," the president said.
He added that the funds would also be helpful for protecting the energy infrastructure ahead of the winter period.
Zelenskyy also mentioned military support for Ukraine within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing.
"Let’s focus on financial stability as part of our security. There is no army without funding, and when we talk about European security, we are talking about its foundation – the Ukrainian army. Our army has real experience of modern warfare and has been able to contain a force the size of Russia’s aggression. We must provide long-term security guarantees for Europe, and this means long-term guarantees, including financial guarantees, for the security, stability, and the Ukrainian army," the president stated, calling on the EU as the largest part of the Coalition of the Willing to develop special financial instruments that will make further support for Ukraine possible.
