Welcome to the European Parliamentary Research Service podcasts.

In this podcast, we'll talk about the EU's financing of military assistance to Ukraine through the European Peace Facility, in what constitutes the first ever EU funding of lethal weapons for a third country.

Stay with us.

Thank you. lethal weapons for a third country. Stay with us. War has returned to the European continent,

bringing back painful memories that we thought long faded.

The images of civilians fleeing their homes under the bombs,

the shelling of hospitals and preschools,

and the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian soldiers in the face of a brutal Russian aggression

have brought EU leaders closer than ever in their determination to defend peace in Europe.

So after a first packet of tough economic sanctions against Russian oligarchs, EU heads of state and government decided to provide 500 million euros from the European peace facility to fund and coordinate EU military assistance and military, including lethal, equipment to Ukraine.

An historic feat.

In the words of the European Council's president, Charlemichel.

We managed, and this is a historic moment for the EU,

to agree very quickly on the delivery of military equipment,

defensive material, but also lethal material.

The meeting of the European Council hours after Russia's aggression was crucial because it forged the necessary unity and convergence necessary to stand firm on the sanctions.

And following this meeting, I instructed the High Representative to mobilize the peace facility.

A move strongly backed by the European Parliament and a taboo that breaks, in the words of the High Representative, Yussep Borrell.

And another taboo has fallen this stage.

The taboo that the European Union cannot use their resources to provide

arms to a country who is being aggressed by other. And this is the first time in the history

that we will be doing that. And everybody agreed or at least not obstruct this decision.

...