{"id":8718,"date":"2023-06-29T13:52:25","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T12:52:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=8718"},"modified":"2025-10-18T08:35:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T07:35:48","slug":"eu-summit-to-evaluate-putins-stance-in-discussions-with-nato-and-ukrainian-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/diplomatic-world\/eu-summit-to-evaluate-putins-stance-in-discussions-with-nato-and-ukrainian-leaders\/2023\/06\/29\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Summit to Evaluate Putin’s Stance in Discussions with NATO and Ukrainian Leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"

BRUSSELS<\/span> (AP)<\/span> –<\/span> At<\/span> Thursday’s<\/span> EU<\/span> summit,<\/span> NATO<\/span> head<\/span> Jens<\/span> Stoltenberg<\/span> and<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> President<\/span> Volodymyr<\/span> Zelenskiy<\/span> took<\/span> center<\/span> stage<\/span> as<\/span> EU27<\/span> leaders<\/span> defended<\/span> the<\/span> eastern<\/span> flank<\/span> from<\/span> Russian<\/span> aggression<\/span> and<\/span> defended<\/span> Ukraine’s<\/span> He<\/span> stressed<\/span> the<\/span> importance<\/span> of<\/span> strengthening<\/span> defense<\/span> capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Notable<\/span> attendees<\/span> included<\/span> Zelensky,<\/span> who<\/span> addressed<\/span> the<\/span> rally<\/span> via<\/span> video<\/span> link,<\/span> and<\/span> Stoltenberg,<\/span> who<\/span> attended<\/span> an<\/span> early<\/span> lunch<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> leaders.<\/span> But<\/span> the<\/span> most<\/span> important<\/span> issue<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> informal<\/span> agenda<\/span> was<\/span> the<\/span> aftermath<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> weekend’s<\/span> sudden<\/span> uprising<\/span> in<\/span> Russia<\/span> and<\/span> its<\/span> impact<\/span> on<\/span> President<\/span> Vladimir<\/span> Putin’s<\/span> rule.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Arriving<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> summit,<\/span> Stoltenberg<\/span> said:<\/span> “The<\/span> insurrection<\/span> we<\/span> witnessed<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> weekend<\/span> shows<\/span> cracks<\/span> and<\/span> divisions<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/span> regime.<\/span> At<\/span> the<\/span> same<\/span> time,<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> important<\/span> to<\/span> stress<\/span> that<\/span> these<\/span> are<\/span> internal<\/span> Russian<\/span> affairs.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> EU<\/span> Heads<\/span> of<\/span> State<\/span> and<\/span> Governments<\/span> shared<\/span> this<\/span> view.<\/span> EU<\/span> Commission<\/span> President<\/span> Ursula<\/span> von<\/span> der<\/span> Leyen<\/span> stated,<\/span> “This<\/span> showed<\/span> deep<\/span> cracks<\/span> in<\/span> Putin’s<\/span> system.<\/span> This<\/span> mutiny<\/span> of<\/span> last<\/span> weekend<\/span> will<\/span> also<\/span> have<\/span> aftershocks<\/span> that<\/span> we<\/span> will<\/span> see.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Lithuanian<\/span> President<\/span> Gitanas<\/span> Nauseda,<\/span> representing<\/span> one<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> EU<\/span> nations<\/span> bordering<\/span> Russia,<\/span> stressed<\/span> the<\/span> need<\/span> for<\/span> a<\/span> resolute<\/span> posture<\/span> towards<\/span> Putin,<\/span> stating,<\/span> “Some<\/span> colleagues<\/span> sometimes<\/span> say<\/span> that<\/span> a<\/span> strong<\/span> Putin<\/span> is<\/span> less<\/span> dangerous<\/span> than<\/span> a<\/span> weak<\/span> Putin.<\/span> I<\/span> don’t<\/span> agree<\/span> with<\/span> that.<\/span> We<\/span> have<\/span> to<\/span> move<\/span> forward<\/span> and<\/span> be<\/span> decisive<\/span> because<\/span> now<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> crucial<\/span> moment<\/span> of<\/span> history.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Latvian<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Krisjanis<\/span> Karins,<\/span> also<\/span> sharing<\/span> a<\/span> border<\/span> with<\/span> Russia,<\/span> emphasized<\/span> the<\/span> importance<\/span> of<\/span> controlling<\/span> actions<\/span> outside<\/span> Russia,<\/span> saying,<\/span> “We<\/span> cannot<\/span> control<\/span> what<\/span> is<\/span> happening<\/span> inside<\/span> Russia,<\/span> but<\/span> we<\/span> can<\/span> control<\/span> what<\/span> we<\/span> do<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> outside.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> response<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> rebellion’s<\/span> chaos<\/span> and<\/span> instability,<\/span> several<\/span> member<\/span> states<\/span> and<\/span> EU<\/span> institutions<\/span> affirmed<\/span> their<\/span> commitment<\/span> to<\/span> supporting<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span> This<\/span> would<\/span> involve<\/span> providing<\/span> additional<\/span> ammunition<\/span> and<\/span> preventing<\/span> fighting<\/span> and<\/span> violence<\/span> from<\/span> spilling<\/span> over<\/span> into<\/span> the<\/span> EU.<\/span> Estonian<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Kaja<\/span> Karas<\/span> said:<\/span> “There<\/span> is<\/span> no<\/span> need<\/span> to<\/span> hesitate.<\/span> We<\/span> must<\/span> continue<\/span> to<\/span> raise<\/span> the<\/span> price<\/span> of<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> aggression.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> EU<\/span> is<\/span> unlikely<\/span> to<\/span> provide<\/span> military<\/span> guarantees,<\/span> but<\/span> leaders<\/span> tend<\/span> to<\/span> tighten<\/span> the<\/span> wording<\/span> of<\/span> summit<\/span> conclusions.<\/span> The<\/span> latest<\/span> draft<\/span> demonstrates<\/span> their<\/span> willingness<\/span> to<\/span> contribute<\/span> to<\/span> future<\/span> security<\/span> efforts<\/span> against<\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> helping<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> the<\/span> country<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> long<\/span> term,<\/span> deter<\/span> aggression<\/span> and<\/span> resist<\/span> destabilization<\/span> efforts.<\/span> there<\/span> is<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Most<\/span> EU<\/span> member<\/span> states<\/span> are<\/span> also<\/span> NATO<\/span> members<\/span> and<\/span> will<\/span> consider<\/span> giving<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> additional<\/span> security<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> alliance<\/span> summit<\/span> on<\/span> July<\/span> 11-12,<\/span> which<\/span> is<\/span> equivalent<\/span> to<\/span> full<\/span> NATO<\/span> membership.<\/span> isn’t<\/span> it.<\/span> Full<\/span> support<\/span> for<\/span> this<\/span> approach<\/span> is<\/span> expected<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> end<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> two-day<\/span> summit.<\/span> EU<\/span> countries<\/span> have<\/span> already<\/span> provided<\/span> extensive<\/span> support<\/span> to<\/span> boost<\/span> Ukraine’s<\/span> military<\/span> strength<\/span> and<\/span> aid<\/span> its<\/span> economy.<\/span> In<\/span> addition,<\/span> the<\/span> leaders<\/span> will<\/span> explore<\/span> the<\/span> possibility<\/span> of<\/span> using<\/span> frozen<\/span> Russian<\/span> assets<\/span> worth<\/span> about<\/span> 200<\/span> billion<\/span> euros<\/span> to<\/span> help<\/span> rebuild<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>However,<\/span> as<\/span> highlighted<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> European<\/span> Central<\/span> Bank,<\/span> concerns<\/span> remain<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> legal<\/span> basis<\/span> and<\/span> potential<\/span> risks<\/span> associated<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> confiscation<\/span> of<\/span> these<\/span> assets<\/span> or<\/span> accrued<\/span> earnings.<\/span> Some<\/span> countries<\/span> are<\/span> proposing<\/span> additional<\/span> random<\/span> levies<\/span> to<\/span> fund<\/span> the<\/span> reconstruction<\/span> of<\/span> Ukraine.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Kalins<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> freeze<\/span> on<\/span> Russian<\/span> assets<\/span> was<\/span> “like<\/span> an<\/span> easy<\/span> fruit<\/span> to<\/span> achieve”.<\/span> “We<\/span> need<\/span> to<\/span> find<\/span> and<\/span> mobilize<\/span> legal<\/span> grounds<\/span> to<\/span> help<\/span> Russia<\/span> pay<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> damage<\/span> it<\/span> caused.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Please<\/span> note<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> information<\/span> provided<\/span> is<\/span> based<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> excerpts<\/span> provided<\/span> and<\/span> does<\/span> not<\/span> cover<\/span> the<\/span> complete<\/span> content<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> EU<\/span> Summit<\/span> or<\/span> reflect<\/span> the<\/span> latest<\/span> developments.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BRUSSELS (AP) – At Thursday’s EU summit, NATO head Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took center stage as EU27 leaders defended the eastern flank from Russian aggression and defended Ukraine’s He stressed the importance of strengthening defense capabilities. Notable attendees included Zelensky, who addressed the rally via video link, and Stoltenberg, who attended […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[5951,9925,24,280,2482],"tags":[79,186,933,2883,4856,6465,7104,7105,7106,7107],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/EULEADERPUTN.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8718"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8718"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8723,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8718\/revisions\/8723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}