The Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU met with a group of senior advisers to the German Bundestag.
The Chairman of the Committee Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze thanked Germany for its support. “We hope that this support will not only continue but also grow, given the threats posed by russia not only to Ukraine but also to the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic community,” she said.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze also thanked Germany for its support of the European Council's decision to open negotiations with Ukraine on its accession to the EU: “This is a step for the European Union to turn from an economic giant into a strategic geopolitical player.” For Ukrainians, she said, this decision was a ray of light. “We have to mobilize all our forces to defend our country in this bloody war and also implement important democratic transformations, as required by the EU accession requirements. We hope that the European Commission will now start the screening process. And we hope that a negotiating framework will be developed and agreed upon by the spring,” the Committee Chair noted.
The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU also expressed hope that the European Union would approve a financial mechanism to support Ukraine. At the same time, she believes that the funds provided by the Ukraine facility, which is about 50 billion euros over four years, are not enough to rebuild Ukraine. The real needs of our country for recovery are much greater. “Obviously, these funds will not be enough to rebuild Ukraine. But I hope that in February we will reach an agreement and approve the Ukraine facility. I want this mechanism to be the beginning of a large-scale support for Ukraine's recovery. And so that other donors can use it to help Ukraine. Of course, with transparent reporting,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.
She expressed concern over the lack of progress with the European Peace Facility's military assistance mechanism for Ukraine. The last tranche of this fund – 500 million euros – was blocked by Hungary. And the entire process of negotiations on allocating more than 20 billion euros for the next few years for the EU's security needs, including support for Ukraine, is now on hold. “This is a big problem for us. Especially now, against the backdrop of internal political processes in the United States and discussions there about further support for Ukraine,” said the Committee Chair. Therefore, the decision to further support Ukraine, in her opinion, is not so much an economic issue as a matter of leadership, a clear understanding of the challenges and threats. “It is cheaper for the world to support Ukraine now, to give us what we need, than to face the threats that will arise if Ukraine fails. If Ukraine loses, we, as a nation, as a state, will cease to exist. But then you will also have to take up arms and fight for yourselves. Because russia will not stop at the EU's borders. It will go further. But if the world supports Ukraine and we defeat russia together, it means that it will never dare to attack in the future,” summarized Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.