DISINFO: Europe is no longer interested in supporting Ukraine
SUMMARY
Europe is no longer interested in providing Kyiv with military assistance. The recent actions taken by Brussels show that the EU is willing to restore relations with the Russian Federation.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the EU and the West, in general, have abandoned Ukraine. The EU is the biggest foreign donor of Ukraine. Ukraine is the largest recipient of the EU’s macro-financial aid among all non-EU countries. Since 2014, Ukraine has received on average 650 million euros every year from the EU, twice as much as from the United States. Individual EU member-states, primarily Germany, France, and the UK, have also provided financial support to Ukraine. For instance, between 2014 and 2017 Germany contributed a total of €786 million, much of it towards education and post-emergency reconstruction. The United Kingdom provided €105 million, supporting reforms in areas such as peace building, conflict prevention, and public sector management. The EU and individual EU countries are also main providers of military help to Ukraine. For instance, Germany supported the creation of the Radioactive Waste Disposal Trust Fund. Poland and Lithuania hosted seminars on countering hybrid warfare. Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania have established a trilateral LITPOLUKRBRIG, a brigade consisting of units from the armies of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine. It should also be noted that the EU has recently prolonged its sanctions against Russia for further six months, until 15 March 2020. On 3 March 2014, the Council of the European Union adopted the first package of restrictive measures against Russia and condemned its violation of Ukrainian sovereign.