How war in Ukraine ends matters, says EU foreign policy chief Borrell

The European Union wants the war in Ukraine to end as soon as possible, but how that happens is important too, its chief diplomat said on Wednesday, calling for the bloc to send more arms to Kyiv.

“We want it to end as soon as possible, but not in any way,” Josep Borrell told European Parliament.

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“Because if we’re going to have a destroyed country that has been dismembered territorially and neutralized, with millions of people in exile, and millions of people dead, then no, we don’t want this war to end like this,” he said.

“That is why we have to continue arming Ukraine... More weapons, that is what the Ukrainians expect of us.”

Borrell noted that continued EU purchases of Russian oil and gas gave Russia many time more money than the financial aid the bloc has provided to Ukraine.

“We have given Ukraine 1 billion euros... but a billion euros is what we pay (Russian President Vladimir) Putin every day for the energy he provides us,” Borrell said.

Separately, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen told the parliament that the EU would impose more sanctions against Russia, likely including measures against oil imports.

Russia calls the conflict in Ukraine a “special military operation” launched to demilitarize a country that Putin regards as an illegitimate state.

Read more: Putin ally Medvedev vows international legal battle over Russian property seizures