After most EU countries have already bilaterally agreed to supply arms to Ukraine, the European Union now wants to launch its own package.

Foreign Minister Josep Borrell announced at noon that he would present two “emergency support measures” to the foreign ministers in a special session on Sunday evening.

"They aim to fund the delivery of lethal equipment to the heroic Ukrainian army fighting with determined resistance against the Russian invaders, and will provide them with much-needed non-lethal supplies such as fuel," Borrell said.

Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

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This package will be funded from the European Peace Facility.

The Spanish social democrat did not initially provide any further information on the volume and type of weapons.

The peace facility is a special item that the heads of state and government created for the first time with the financial framework for the years 2020 to 2027.

It comprises a total of 5.7 billion euros and is technically not part of the EU budget because, according to its treaty, the EU is not allowed to finance weapons from the common budget.

This budget should primarily be used to equip armed forces in Africa that are being trained by the EU.

Great Britain probably wants to provide logistical help

At the beginning of December, 31 million euros were released from this budget for the Ukrainian armed forces – for field hospitals, support for mobility and logistics and for cyber issues.

Armed support was still considered taboo at the time.

It would not have been supported by the federal government either.

That has now changed with the U-turn in Germany, but also in other countries such as Hungary.

The federal government announced on Saturday evening that it would deliver 400 anti-aircraft missiles and 1,000 anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.

Previously, she had allowed the Netherlands to transfer weapons to the country that came from Bundeswehr stocks.

These are 200 Stinger rockets and 50 launchers of the Panzerfaust-3 with 400 projectiles developed for the German army.

These weapons are comparatively easy to use, the bazookas are particularly useful for combating armored vehicles in cities, where they can be used at close range and to protect houses.

The Stinger missiles, which have previously been delivered to Ukraine by other allies, have shot down several Russian warplanes in the past few days, as video on social media documents.

On Friday evening, the British defense secretary held a donors' conference for Ukraine to pledge military equipment and coordinate supplies.

According to the British Ministry of Defense, more than 25 countries took part, including some NATO partner countries.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and pursue every option to help her defend herself against President Putin's unprovoked and illegal invasion," Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement.

Defense sources then said the UK had offered to support the delivery of arms with a logistical operation.