The European Union foreign ministers will hold a meeting - Monday - in Luxembourg, to discuss the files of the Russian war on Ukraine, including tightening sanctions on Russia, increasing armaments and training for Ukraine, and threatening to punish Iran if it is proven to be involved in the war.

The meeting of European foreign ministers began today to discuss imposing additional sanctions on Moscow, providing Kyiv with a new batch of weapons, as well as approving the European Mission to train the Ukrainian army.

Al-Jazeera correspondent in Luxembourg reported that the ministers of the Baltic states and Poland are preparing to present a vision for the ninth package of sanctions against Russia, including sanctions on its banking sector.

The meeting comes days after the approval of the eighth package of European sanctions against Russia, which included individuals in the regions annexed by Moscow, in addition to a ban on exports of marine and chemical technology.

Prior to the start of the meeting in Luxembourg, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the Russian attacks on Kyiv would be discussed and decided upon by foreign ministers.

Borrell also indicated that the EU will search for concrete evidence of Iran's involvement in Russia's war on Ukraine, and that there are proposals for sanctions against Iran related to the situation in it.

The European official pointed out that Russia continues to lose this war militarily, as well as its isolation from the world, adding that the Union will continue to support Kyiv by sending weapons and establishing a training mission.

Arrival and doorstep by @JosepBorrellF, at the #ForeignAffairs Council taking place on 17 October 2022 in #Luxembourg.


"The most important decision today will be related to the new tranche of military support to #Ukraine️" https://t.co/zfiGGVcLR7

— EU Council TV News (@EUCouncilTVNews) October 17, 2022

Iran threat

For his part, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told reporters - today, Monday - that additional European Union sanctions on Iran will not be limited to blacklisting some individuals if Tehran is proven to be involved in Russia's war on Ukraine.

"Then it will not be about punishing some individuals," he added, before meeting his counterparts in the European Union.

On the other hand, the Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected accusations of selling arms to the warring parties in Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry said that these reports have political goals, stressing that Tehran is not a party to the war in Ukraine and does not consider the war as a solution to settling political crises.

And the United States announced last month the imposition of sanctions on an Iranian company against the backdrop of transferring drones to Russia.

During a phone call last Friday, Borrell expressed European concerns to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who reiterated that the "defensive" cooperation between Moscow and Tehran is not linked to the Ukraine war.

Expand the training mission

The foreign ministers of the 27 countries endorse a decision to launch a mission to train 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers, and allocate new military funding of 500 million euros, provided that the mission begins immediately, according to diplomatic sources.

And the French press agency quoted a European official as saying, "It is a great precedent for the European Union," stressing, "We have never done a mission of this magnitude before."

The training mission center will be located in Poland;

Because it is "the exit gate and the return gate for the Ukrainians," according to the source.

As for Germany, it intends to train a Ukrainian brigade.

It is planned to allocate between 50 and 60 million euros per year for the launch phase of the mission, according to what was learned in Brussels.

And French Defense Minister Sebastien Locorno announced - last Saturday - that France will train "up to two thousand Ukrainian soldiers" on its soil, including general training in combat, meeting logistical needs, and training on equipment sent to them.

7 year budget

In terms of armament, the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces expressed various needs, ranging from artillery, engineering units and radars.

New funding for the European Facility for Peace is expected to amount to 500 million euros to secure arms, bringing the European effort to 3 billion euros, "to which are added bilateral contributions, which are much larger," according to a European official.

The official added that "the budget for 7 years was spent within 7 months."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will participate in the meeting via video link, and France is expected to confirm to him the delivery of 6 new "Cesar" cannons, 155-caliber cannons, launchers and launchers, and "Krotal" air defenses to counter the drones.

Germany and Spain previously announced the provision of anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.