Another taboo has fallen. The taboo that the European Union was not providing arms in a war. Yes, we are doing it. Because this war requires our engagement to support the Ukrainian army.

We live unprecedented times, like we did when the pandemic arrived. We are facing the pest of the war, like in the Biblical times. This will be the first time in history that the EU will be providing lethal equipment to a third country.

I have also instructed my team in the EU Military Staff to set up a mechanism to coordinate the requests of the Ukrainian army, so that we respond in the most effective way with Member States to their needs that Minister Kuleba has explained to us today.

Today we will provide the political endorsement of the European Union 27 Member States on the overall package of measures outlined by President [of the European Commission, Ursula] von der Leyen and pave the way for the swift adoption of all necessary legal acts.

As just explained by Madame President, we will discuss with the Foreign Ministers the announcement of tough economic sanctions: SWIFT, the Central Bank and I will also put forward additional listings against Oligarchs. We will target the elite of Putin’s regime, who benefit financially from the system. We will also reinforce our measures against Belarus, who have been facilitating Russia’s assault against Ukraine.