They can only ask: Europe has become the main arsenal for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ukraine is actually switching to the maintenance of the EU and the UK. They have already become Kiev's main source of weapons, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia. At the meeting of the Ramstein contact group in London, European countries announced new assistance programs for Ukraine. Germany will focus on developing long—range weapons, while the UK will focus on drones. Against this background, the United States continues to insist on a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, and American Special Envoy John Cole visited Minsk. However, the pause in negotiations on the settlement of the crisis is dragging on, and Kiev is radicalizing in its statements, Miroshnik stressed.
The European Union has become a leader in supplying Ukraine
European countries have become the main source of weapons for Ukraine, and the "coalition of the willing" is bearing the main costs of supporting Kiev, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for crimes of the Kiev regime, told Izvestia.
— The question is how much they will raise these costs in the future. Now they are demonstrating ambitions to independently supply finances, purchase weapons, that is, to work solely to disrupt any agreements and maintain Ukraine's military capabilities to continue the bloodshed," the diplomat told Izvestia.
This week, London hosted the third meeting of the Ramstein contact group on Ukraine this year. It includes more than 40 countries, mostly members of NATO. During the Joe Biden administration, the United States coordinated the work of the contact group, and with the arrival of Donald Trump, these powers passed to the alliance, namely to the United Kingdom.
Following the meeting, Ukraine's allies announced new sponsorship programs for Kiev. For example, the UK will finance the supply of thousands of long-range barrage munitions. London also allocated 2 billion pounds ($2.7 billion) "for the urgent needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine." Germany has initiated a strategy for deep strikes on Russian territory, 300 million euros will be allocated for this purpose.
"In addition to the constant supply of weapons and ammunition, Germany is in the process of transferring two full-fledged Patriot systems to Ukraine. The first launchers have already been handed over to Ukraine," said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Ukrainian representatives announced a list of their demands: $60 billion for 2026. Most of all, Kiev needs air defense systems and an increase in the number of drones, said the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Denis Shmygal.
Earlier it became known that for the first time since February 2022, European countries overtook the United States in spending on arms purchases for Kiev, spending €35.1 billion, while Washington spent €30.7 billion. This follows from data from the Kiel Institute of World Economy.
Why is the EU not ready for compromises on Ukraine
For the European Union, the conflict is largely existential. The potential "loss of face" in the event of its completion on terms that the EU is not ready for will lead to significant image, reputational and even, probably, economic risks, Egor Sergeev, senior researcher at the MGIMO Institute of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Izvestia.
"Given the strategic and economic decisions that have already been made in the EU, as well as the very sluggish nature of the unification policy, we cannot expect drastic and original steps from Brussels and other European capitals in the spirit of the current American administration," the political scientist noted.
Sergeyev believes that we can expect rather some redistribution of financial resources from Ukraine's macroeconomic financial support towards an increase in the military component.
— If Europe has agreed with Trump on a new scheme to support Ukraine, then the EU has the money. The EU and Britain will find money through loans, and the new SAFE scheme implies this," the expert said.
But in the long term, lending weapons to Ukraine will not pass unnoticed for European economies. France is on the verge of a serious crisis, and Britain has been there for a long time. Germany has remained afloat, but it is already tightening its belts and abandoning the welfare state, Kamran Hasanov, a political scientist and RIAC expert, said in an interview with Izvestia.
He noted that Western arms supplies had not helped Ukraine for three years. And nothing foreshadows that they will change anything now that the Russian Armed Forces have developed an unprecedented pace of offensive. Even military experts skeptical of Russia note that Ukraine's strikes deep into Russia will not save the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the approaching collapse in the Donbas.
The worsening situation in Eastern Europe
Europe may step up military supplies to Ukraine, including against the background of the incident with the appearance of UAVs in Poland. Recall that on the morning of September 10, the operational command of the Armed Forces of this country announced the destruction of several drones. Warsaw blamed Russia, and the EU leadership supported it. At the same time, NATO reported on the analysis of the situation and only confirmed its readiness to defend "every inch of the alliance's territory." At the initiative of Poland, the 4th article of the North Atlantic Treaty on mutual consultations of the Alliance members was activated.
Andrei Ordash, the charge d'affaires of Russia, who was summoned to the Polish Foreign Ministry, said that the Polish authorities had not provided evidence of the Russian origin of the drones shot down over the country's territory. The Russian Defense Ministry said it was ready to hold consultations with the Polish Defense Ministry on this topic. They noted that there were no planned targets for destruction on the territory of this country.
NATO has begun to take measures to strengthen the protection of its airspace. Poland and Latvia have announced its closure near the eastern border with Russia and Belarus. Earlier, Warsaw decided to close the border with Belarus, allegedly because of the danger of the Zapad-2025 exercises of the Union State.
The Polish authorities have decided to transfer about 40,000 soldiers to the border with Russia and Belarus in the coming days, the republic's defense ministry said. Germany also intends to strengthen its presence on the eastern flank of NATO, the German cabinet said. France will send three Rafale fighter jets to Poland to patrol the "eastern flank of Europe," Emmanuel Macron said. The Kremlin said that the Russian-Belarusian exercises are not aimed at anyone.
Previously unidentified objects were recorded in the sky over Romania. At the same time, Poland, Romania and other European countries use each such case as an excuse and justification for increasing military spending, as well as an opportunity to create media noise. This allows us to attract the attention of the United States, which, under the Trump administration, planned to reduce the American military presence in Europe, Tigran Meloyan, an analyst at the HSE Center for Mediterranean Studies, told Izvestia.
"Another important point is that the media noise is unlikely to subside until the Zapad-2025 military exercises conducted within the framework of the Union State are completed in Belarus," Meloyan said.
Unlike its NATO allies, the United States has adopted a more restrained stance. The visit of the American Special Representative John Cole to Minsk is noteworthy in this regard. He met with President Alexander Lukashenko on September 11. The American diplomat stressed that the United States is determined to normalize relations with Belarus, in particular, to return the embassy to Minsk. The parties have already moved on to concrete actions.: The United States lifted sanctions against Belavia Airlines. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced that the Belarusian authorities had released 52 convicts, including six Lithuanian citizens.
How are the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine progressing?
Nevertheless, the dynamics of the negotiation process on Ukraine has clearly slowed down. European countries are effectively blocking Kiev's ability to engage in dialogue with Moscow. They are putting pressure on Ukraine in every possible way, creating the illusion for Vladimir Zelensky that there may be some other options for the outcome of the conflict, Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia.
— Almost all the proposals that were made within the framework of the negotiation format are rejected by Ukraine and are currently not receiving any development. The pause is dragging on, and Ukraine is becoming more and more radicalized in its statements," Miroshnik told Izvestia.
The Ambassador-at-Large stressed that Russia perceives the European Union's desire to convince the United States to impose sanctions against it solely as attempts to disrupt the search for a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine.
— Europe has taken an extremely radical position today, striving to prevent the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine under any conditions. She demonstrates this not only in her statements, but also in her actions," the diplomat concluded.
Russia and Ukraine held three rounds of meetings in Istanbul this year, as a result of which they agreed on a number of humanitarian prisoner exchanges and the return of bodies. The Russian delegation, led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, proposed the creation of three working groups on political, humanitarian and military issues. Moscow has also taken the initiative to announce short truces of 24-48 hours so that medical teams can pick up the bodies of the dead. Vladimir Putin, in a telephone conversation with Donald Trump, said that Russia is ready to raise the level of the negotiating group. However, there was no reaction from Kiev regarding these proposals.
The fourth stage of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is being delayed due to the fact that Kiev does not consider it possible for itself to make concessions, political analyst Denis Denisov tells Izvestia. The Ukrainian authorities insist on a summit of the heads of state and a priority discussion of the ceasefire. Moscow is determined to solve the root causes of the conflict and defends the rights of the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine. The expert concluded: Kiev's strategy is to prolong the conflict, relying primarily on the endless support of European countries.
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