EU agrees additional 500 mln euros in military aid for Ukraine

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles (L) arrives for the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) member states on Monday agreed to grant Ukraine an additional 500 million euros (507.7 million U.S. dollars) in EU military aid.

Josep Borrell, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, told a news conference here following the Foreign Affairs Council meeting that the ministers agreed on tightening the sanctions on Russia and closing the loopholes in the current measures.

The decision came after a video debriefing on the latest developments by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Borrell said the ministers "unanimously agreed" on the need to continue to stand firmly with Ukraine. The bloc's total contribution in military aid now stands at 2.5 billion euros.

He confirmed that the ministers also discussed the European Commission's latest proposal on banning Russian gold imports and amending the extension of sanctions. He said that the member states' ambassadors will discuss the measures this week. (1 euro = 1.02 U.S. dollars) 

Belgium's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib (C) attends the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs Joao Gomes Cravinho attends the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles (R) and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares talk before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau attends the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn (L) and Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman pose for photos before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Foreign ministers of the European Union talk before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman speaks to the press before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles speaks to the press before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles (L) and Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman talk before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to the press before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod speaks to the press before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles chairs the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles (R) and Belgium's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib shake hands before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn speaks to the press before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, July 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)