Ukrainians hold placards and wave Ukrainian flags during a rally supporting the deployment of Leopard tanks and other military equipment to Ukraine, outside the European Council building during a EU Foreign Ministers Council in Brussels, Belgium, 23 January 2023. EFE/EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

EU foreign ministers approve new 500 million euros in aid to Ukraine

Brussels, Jan 23 (EFE).- European Union foreign ministers on Monday approved a further 500 million euros in aid to Ukraine, officials said Monday.


Lithuanian foreign minister Arnoldas Pranckevicius confirmed the agreement, the seventh since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, in a tweet.


Since the beginning of the conflict, and including this new disbursement from the European Peace Facility, the EU has earmarked 3.6 billion for the purpose of arming Ukraine.


The approval came amid mountain pressure on Germany to authorize the shipment of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine


Earlier, Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his country was to request permission to send the German-made tanks to Ukraine “soon.”


Latvia’s head of foreign affairs Edgars Rinkevics has said that currently there were “no good arguments why battle tanks cannot be provided.” EFE
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