EU’s Financial Assistance for Ukraine Does not Mean that Europe is at War with Russia
The EU has never called for a war with Russia but has helped Ukraine to preserve its territorial integrity and democratic society. Europe condemns Russian aggression and appeals for it to stop. The claim that Macedonian citizens should prepare for mobilization is just arbitrary. So far, no one has announced any kind of mobilization. This speculation has been circulated on social networks several times and Truthmeter has debunked it up to date
We are fact-checking a post on Facebook (screenshot here) claiming that Europe – not Ukraine – is at war with Russia. Such a claim is untrue.
Is it becoming clear that not Ukraine, but Europe, is at war again with Russia. Get ready for mobilization, states the post.
The claim that Europe is at war with Russia comes after the agreement reached on 1 February 2024 by the EU member states to provide 50 billion euros in assistance to Ukraine.
We have a deal. All 27 leaders agreed on an additional 50 billion Euro support package for Ukraine within the EU budget. This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine. EU is taking leadership and responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake, posted the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, on X platform.
As announced by the Union, the financial aid package is a new instrument of the EU to help Ukraine in its recovery, reconstruction, and modernization of its path towards EU accession.
In the total amount of 50 billion Euros, 33 billion Euro will be committed as loans and 17 billion euros will be granted (according to the new thematic instrument, known as Ukraine’s reserve).
To secure Ukraine’s ownership in its recovery and reconstruction, the Ukrainian government has to develop a plan setting up a reform and investment agenda. To receive funding, Ukraine needs to also support and respect: democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, rule of law, human rights, and incorporating the rights of minority groups.
The position of the EU regarding the war in Ukraine is that the EU and its member states are united in their resolute support of Ukraine and strongly condemn Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. They also condemn Belarus’ involvement in Russia’s military aggression.
Since February 2022, the European Council and the Council of the European Union have been meeting regularly to discuss the situation in Ukraine from different perspectives.
Russia must stop its atrocious war immediately. The European Union will stand by Ukraine with steadfast support for as long as it takes and remain unwavering in its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, specify the Conclusions of the European Council dated 9 February 2023.
EU leaders demanded on several occasions that Russia immediately cease its military actions, unconditionally withdraw all its forces and military equipment from Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. They emphasized the right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny and commended the people of Ukraine for their courage in defending their country.
The EU expressed unity and strength and secured humanitarian, political, financial, and military support for Ukraine.
The EU will be with you and your people tomorrow and for as long as it takes. We will be right by your side to rebuild a modern, prosperous Ukraine firmly anchored on our common European path, stated Michel on 3 February 2023 on a press conference of the EU-Ukraine Summit in Kyiv.
The EU and its citizens stand in full solidarity with Ukraine and its people. The EU has taken unprecedented measures to support Ukraine and its people. The measures include:
• economic and financial assistance
• humanitarian aid
• civil protection support
• military support
• reception of refugees through the EU temporary protection mechanism
• support in the investigation and prosecution of war crimes
• support in the reconstruction of a democratic Ukraine.
The EU has adopted a number of sanctions in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The measures were designed to weaken Russia’s economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.
In this context, the EU has also adopted sanctions against: Belarus, in response to its involvement in the invasion of Ukraine and Iran in relation to the use of Iranian drones in the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
In terms of the claim in the post that Macedonian citizens should prepare for mobilization, such a claim is arbitrary and not supported by any kind of evidence and facts. It seems to be a random interpretation of the previously expressed opinion that Europe, allegedly, is at war with Russia. So far no one in our country has mentioned mobilization. This speculation has been circulating on social networks on several occasions, and Truthmeter has debunked it. North Macedonia is a Member-State of NATO, but not of the EU.
Up to date, the Minister of Defence has mentioned a few times that Macedonia, as a NATO member state, will be sending military equipment as assistance to Ukraine, but troops will not be sent.
The NATO Alliance has also mentioned many times that it will not become party to the war, that the war is between Russia and Ukraine, and that NATO will support Ukraine in its intentions to defend its territorial integrity.
Last May, NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, on the World Economic Forum in Davos said that NATO was not going to send troops in Ukraine because it wanted to avoid war with Russia.
NATO’s main responsibility is to protect its allies and to do everything to prevent escalation of this war. We do not want to cause a conflict, but to prevent it and preserve peace, said Stoltenberg.
From all of the above-noted, a conclusion can be derived that Europe is not at war with Russia, but that Russia performed a military invasion in Ukraine thereby killing a large number of civilians and soldiers on Ukrainian territory. On 24 February 2022, Russia initiated missile attacks on locations throughout Ukraine, including the capital city of Kyiv. Russian ground forces penetrated Ukrainian territory, while the President of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelenskyy, responded by introducing martial law, terminating diplomatic relations with Russia and imposing general mobilization. This invasion is the largest military attack in Europe after the Second World War and is subject of widespread international condemnation and introduction of sanctions against Russia.
Russia attacked Ukraine and Ukraine has the right to defend itself.
Europe is condemning the Russian invasion and appeals for its termination. The EU has never called upon war with Russia but helps Ukraine preserve its territorial integrity and democratic society. Should Russia decide to end the war and retrieve its troops, then there will be no war on European soil. Therefore, the post fact-checked is deemed untrue.
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