Mathernova Announces Over €2 Billion for Ukraine’s Defense from Frozen Russian Assets
European Union Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova said that the EU has decided to allocate another 2.1 billion euros from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine's defense.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Mathernova's interview with the FREEDOM TV channel.
'The next tranche of money that comes from the proceeds, the profits from the Russian frozen assets in the amount of 2.1 billion euros will go to Ukraine defense and part of it will go to procure air defense and ammunition from member states or through our member states,' the diplomat said.
According to her, 1 billion euros of this money will go through the so-called 'Danish model' to the Ukrainian defense industry. “This is an innovative defense industry in Ukraine. Therefore, I am very glad that contracts are being signed right now, and in a few weeks the money should reach the recipients in Ukraine,' Mathernova said.
She explained that this billion will go to the defense industry, 'where there are needs and where there are opportunities'.
'Of course, your drone production, your electronic warfare production, your naval drone production is second to none. But you also have capacities in producing howitzers, various armed vehicles. So that's that part where the biggest needs, if we understand correctly, where the biggest needs for delivery of European material is indeed air defense and ammunition. So, this will be the concentration of this new tranche of money,' the ambassador emphasized.
She reminded that Europe is by far the largest donor to Ukraine, the largest partner with about 145 billion euros, and that Europe's military support for the country is about 50 billion euros, and it continues to grow.
As The Gaze reported earlier, in March the EU announced that Ukraine had received another €1 billion from the European Union under the ERA initiative. This tranche will be repaid from the proceeds of Russian state assets frozen in the EU.
Watch the full interview here.