Brussels – The usage of weapons equipped to Ukraine by the West was not a subject at Thursday’s casual assembly of diplomats from EU member international locations in Brussels. This was said by State Secretary of the Ministry of International and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Marek Eštok, after the negotiations, clarifying that Slovakia solely provides Ukraine with non-lethal army gear, studies the Brussels correspondent of TASR.
Eštok expressed disappointment that the assembly didn’t happen in Budapest, as deliberate below the Hungarian presidency of the EU Council.
“Borrell determined that the assembly would happen in Brussels. We take into account this as a precedent for future presidencies,” Eštok stated, referring to the choice made in July by the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell.
Eštok appreciated the “lengthy and really productive” inner dialogue with the Minister of International Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba. He reminded that Kuleba known as on EU international locations to deal with two facets earlier than the upcoming winter: the availability of anti-missile protection and guaranteeing Ukraine’s power self-sufficiency through the winter.
“I reiterated that we’re getting ready the third assembly of the Ukrainian and Slovak governments, this time on the Ukrainian aspect, close to the border, and a part of the discussions might be an analysis of the assembly in Michalovce, which targeted on the connection of power methods between Slovakia and Ukraine and the availability of electrical energy from Slovakia to Ukraine. I repeated that the Slovak aspect is modernizing and increasing the transmission system capability in order that we will provide extra to Ukraine even through the winter,” Eštok described the state of affairs. He added that different infrastructure initiatives are additionally being ready.
Borrell and Kuleba at first of Thursday’s assembly known as on EU states to not stop Kyiv from utilizing the weapon methods equipped to them for strikes on Russian territory. Eštok clarified that diplomats didn’t talk about this subject and reminded that every nation addresses this on a bilateral foundation in negotiations with Ukraine.
On this context, he emphasised that the Slovak authorities solely provides non-lethal fight gear to Ukraine.
The Council of Ministers additionally mentioned the state of affairs within the Center East, and Eštok said that Slovakia is worried concerning the deteriorating humanitarian state of affairs within the Palestinian territories, Gaza Strip, and the West Financial institution.
“As its personal contribution, Slovakia organized a particular humanitarian medical flight for sufferers from Gaza, in cooperation with Belgium and the European Fee, and we’re prepared to make use of our army plane once more,” Eštok stated. (August 29)