BRUSSELS
The EU Commission chief on Wednesday said that the European Union will provide €100 million ($100 million) for rebuilding schools damaged in Ukraine due to the ongoing war with Russia.
Ursula Von der Leyen gave the State of the European Union speech in which she outlined the main lines of action for the EU in the upcoming year at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
She reassured that Europe's solidarity with Ukraine will remain “unshakable,” promising that the bloc will maintain sanctions against Russia and financial support for Ukraine.
Von der Leyen said the funding was directed to Kyiv “because the future of Ukraine begins in the schools with children.”
She also promised that Ukraine can join the EU free roaming zone, providing reduced mobile phone and data tariffs.
Russian President Vladimir “Putin will fail, Ukraine and Europe will prevail,” she further said.
She also noted that the bloc faces a “watershed moment to rethink our foreign policy agenda” because of Russia’s war which she considers an attack against Europe’s common values.
Von der Leyen reassured Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia of their perspective to become EU members.
“The path towards strong democracies and the path towards our Union are one and the same,” she asserted.
Von der Leyen also welcomed the initiative of the European Political Community that brings together EU member states and other European countries.
The reunion of leaders from EU members and 17 other European countries, including Ukraine and Türkiye, will take place in the Czech capital Prague on Oct. 6.
As von der Leyen’s guest of honor, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelanska participated in the event.
The EU commission president will travel later on Wednesday to Kyiv to discuss the details of the support with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
