Hello Janos.

this is on the,

meeting yesterday in Paris,

and,

and on financing the EU defense,

because after the meeting in Paris,

Polish Prime Minister Tusk said

that in the meeting,

the European Commission had said that they will

present specific proposals in the coming days.

On how to use common European funds for defense and he also said

that uh President von der Leyen had promised to present very precise plan very soon

So my question is,

can you confirm this statement by the Polish Prime Minister,

and would you like to shed some light on your

plans?

Thank you.

No,

I'm not in a position to share some further light.

I think I can reiterate what the Commission President has said in the past,

which is that it is indeed important to

beef up,

to

make an important

increase in investments in the area of defense.

It suffice to look at very important challenges

which Ukraine is facing and which the European Union as a whole is facing.

The president has made some proposals,

has launched some important ideas

that can be taken forward to tackle these challenges,

including

more flexibility

instability clause,

including also making available further funds for

the strengthening of our defense capacities,

but for now I'm not in a position to say anything more as to.

concrete proposals this would,

lead to,

so I would invite you to bear with us a little bit longer.

Thank you.

Yes,

follow up.

OK,

just to make

sure,

you don't confirm this statement

by the Polish Prime Minister,

and also I'm going to quote Mr.

Tusk a little bit further.

He said that the proposal is about using the

loans the EU has taken and also traditional sources

of funding,

and he said that President von der Leyen confirmed that we

are talking about billions of euros that can be launched immediately.

I would ask

if you can say if this summary provided

by the Polish Prime Minister is factually correct.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I'm not going to confirm yes or no how statements that are being made by

by other heads of state.

I can only reiterate what we have stressed

on several occasions and which in particular.

President von der Leyen has stressed on several occasions

it's important to beef up,

to speed up,

to increase,

to make an important step

in funding,

investing,

defense.

Several proposals

have been made to do this,

and we are taking things forward,

obviously in close dialogue with the member states.

Thank you.

Is it on this?

OK,

thank you.

Yeah,

thank you Diego Velasquez Luxembourg.

Yeah,

to,

to rephrase that question,

otherwise,

what are you waiting for to put more concrete proposals on the table?

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

We are not waiting,

we are working,

but

discussions are ongoing.

This is an important process.

This is an important dialogue that is taking place with our partners,

with Member states,

but again,

you have to understand that while work is ongoing,

we cannot go into further

details yet at this stage.

Thank you.

OK,

I'll rephrase my question then again,

what would be the event that would trigger a concrete proposal?

Thank you.

I don't think I have anything to change to what I've just said.

Thank you.

Any other questions on this?

you cock it on something else?

No.

Do you have no,

OK,

in interaction,

raise your hands if you have questions on this.

Mose

yes,

thank you,

Stefan.

this is a related question uh to the meeting yesterday in Paris,

and about the defense,

but more specifically your defense,

for Ukraine,

as you know,

I mean,

it seems that,

Ukraine cannot count on any NATO membership for its defense,

because of United States opposition and nor can see the member states,

provide such

security guarantees.

So my question is,

could any security guarantees be given

by the EU as a whole.

Thanks to the so-called motion defense clause in the EU treaties.

And they related to that,

Stefan,

is also the question whether

security guarantees can be separated from the more.

general question about the Ukraine's

EU membership,

which can take some years as there is no

uh falsetra procedure.

Thank you

Stefan,

thank you very very much,

Mose

I,

invite you to check out and,

and I assume we've already did,

the statement that we published following the

meeting that took place yesterday in France

where,

President von der Leyen and President Costa,

obviously committed to a continued and stable support to Ukraine

until a just,

comprehensive and lasting peace is reached.

They also expressed a willingness to put Ukraine in a position of strength

ahead of any future negotiations and that

Ukraine is provided with strong security guarantees,

indeed very important.

They stressed the need for Europeans to increase

their defense spending and strengthen their defense capabilities

and help reinforce the Ukrainian

armed forces,

and then again,

indeed,

President von der Leyen.

Stressed

the willingness to step up the work to accelerate the accession process of Ukraine

to the European Union,

but of course I'm not in a position here now to say what,

when,

how.

It is important that this message has been passed that

the accession process of Ukraine to the European Union

has to be stepped up.

Thank you very much.

you have a question on this?

yes,

I mean,

you talk about the focus will be on the area,

in the area of defense,

but I'm just curious because,

you know,

given all the busy diplomatic activities going on,

I mean,

most people are expecting sort of a ceasefire,

a se of hostilities,

no more fighting.

So

Ukraine may not need

more bombs,

fighter jets drone.

They probably need more focus on

future reconstruction,

you know,

other non-military assistance.

So do you think that uh the College of commissioner visiting

uh Ukraine next week will actually be

focused on discussion on this issue instead of,

you know,

bombs and fighter jets.

Thank you.

thank you very much.

I will immediately give the floor to Anitta,

but may be very good to stress once again,

as we've done several times in this press room,

that Ukraine has our full support and that the

EU and Member states are Ukraine's leading donor.

Provided

over €134 billion

with €48.7 billion matching US contribution for

matching US contribution allocated to military assistance,

so we stand with Ukraine.

That must be very clear,

I think.

Indeed,

and on my side,

what I would like to add is that Russia is the aggressor.

Russia needs to pay,

and this is what we need to do.

We need to make and ensure that Ukraine stands strong.

This means more ammunition,

more weapons,

more defense.

Putin only understands this language of power,

so this is something that we will need to do and we are doing in a united way,

and Russia is a threat not only to Ukraine but beyond Europe,

so we need to stop Russia.

Thank you.

Yes,

it's on this.

Yes,

it's actually a follow up to Moses's question on Article 42 if I'm not mistaken,

there is a question in this famous American US administration

questioner.

I'm wondering,

did you get this question

submitted to answer

if you are ready,

there is one question specifically actually would be

addressed to the EU whether they would be ready to open the

internal market to Ukraine and.

If Ukraine would be covered by Article 42 of the EU Treaties,

Thank you.

No,

I have nothing to add on,

on this part,

no.

And we,

we'll get back to you if you have more,

yes.

Were these questions submitted to you as well or only to Member States?

Thank you.

I'm not sure which questions exactly do you refer to?

The US administration sent 7 questions to

Europeans,

I think Member states,

but maybe also to you.

That was my question whether you got these questions as well,

what you are ready to do in case of a peace deal,

whether,

for example,

you would be ready to open up the interior market faster or cover Ukraine

with

this famous Article 427.

Thank you.

I cannot confirm

whether we have received these questionnaires,

but we'll get back to you should that be the case.

Indeed,

and on Article 42.7,

this is a sovereign decision for the member states as such.

All right,

I see it's,

it's on this,

Jorge,

it's related.

OK,

Jorge,

go ahead.

Yes,

thank you,

Stefan.

It's about the meeting today between the

president and the special envoy Keith Kellogg.

I was reading the readout and it's,

there's no mention at all of the most pressing issue or one

of the most pressing issues for Europe right now that it's the exclusion

from the peace process that Donald Trump is promoting at the moment.

Did the president specifically raise this issue with the special envoy,

the exclusion of Europe?

Was there.

Any response and did she secure any sort of new guarantees

that Europe's concerns will be taken into account and not disregarded.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I don't think there's anything I can add to the readout that has been made available.

What I can say nevertheless that the different meetings that are

taking place has to be seen as part of a process,

the beginning of a process,

and indeed we see.

That the number of meetings are taking place have already taken place.

We had indeed today the meeting

between the President

and the US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia,

Mr.

Kellogg.

Yesterday we had the meeting in Paris

organized by President Macron a few days ago we

had a meeting in the Munich Security conference.

Where several other meetings took place,

for instance,

the one

between President von der Leyen and the American Vice President

J.D. Vance.

This is an ongoing

process that brings together our partners.

Of course,

ultimately these meetings have to come together to see how we take things forward

with all parties concerned.

whereby the goal is,

as you know,

to work with,

Ukraine,

Ukraine and with our partners towards a just

and lasting peace,

for the country.

You have a follow up.

Thank you Stefan.

of course,

as you said,

there have been a lot of meetings recently.

yes,

last week,

obviously Europe was caught by surprise with this phone call

between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

After all the meetings and conversations that you had for the past days,

do you feel more reassured that Europe will be.

More included in the process,

or are you still

having doubts and uncertainty about what's Europe's place in this process?

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I think it is very clear what the place of

Ukraine and the European Union is in this process.

There can be no just and lasting peace.

Ukraine without Ukraine and there can be no

just and lasting peace with Ukraine without the European Union.

This is a matter that concerns the security of Ukraine and of the European Union,

and it's with the partners that we will reach

and work towards a just and lasting peace.

Thank you.

Yes,

you.

Thank you,

Susan Fre SIC Portugal.

follow-up question,

So first of all,

because we just heard Mr.

Lavrov saying that he didn't understand why the EU should be at the table,

so

my question is,

does the European Union still

want

a place on the table,

and did President von der Leyen specifically say that to Mr.

Kallas?

Thank you very much.

Again,

we are here at a very important moment in time,

of course,

the beginning of an extremely important process with several meetings,

several meetings taking place

between

different partners,

important partners,

partners that are all.

Necessary

to work towards this just and lasting peace

and it's on that basis that we continue to work and I reiterate again the fact that

no solution can be worked out on Ukraine

without Ukraine or uh without the European Union.

Thank you.

I see,

yes,

OK,

thank you.

with the Portuguese daily Publico.

there have been,

calls for the EU to name a special envoy for Ukraine.

Is this something that is being worked on?

Is this an idea that has any,

follow through?

Thank you,

we take note of the calls and if there is anything to announce,

we will do so,

but nothing at the moment.

yes,

I'll go back to you,

but there I see,

yes,

go ahead.

thank you,

Italy.

There were a lot of meetings,

but could you provide main takeaways of the

Munich security meeting and meeting in Paris?

What's the main,

takeaways

for EU?

Thank you

Sorry?

The main takeaways I think are

explained in the readout of the meeting that we have published,

so

I invite you to take a look at our readout published on our press corner.

I can again

list the most important messages

that come from this table is the fact that President von der Leyen

and President Costa committed to a continued and stable support to Ukraine.

Until a just,

comprehensive and lasting peace is reached.

They underlined that only such a peace would lead

to a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine and guarantee Ukraine's

and Europe's security.

They expressed the willingness to put Ukraine in a position of strength ahead

of any future negotiations and that Ukraine

is provided with strong security guarantees.

What I can add two main things.

Europe needs to be ready,

is ready,

and we need to support Ukraine.

And one last final point,

it will be very easy for Putin to just stop the killings today.

Super easy.

It can be done.

He should do it.

Thank you.

Yes,

and then I'll go back to you guys because they're in the back there's no,

yeah,

go ahead.

Thank you for Japanese TV NHK.

I have a follow up on the readout of

the meeting between the President and Keith Kellogg.

I was wondering whether you could share anything that Keith Kellogg mentioned

during the meeting since in your release,

obviously only information on what Ursula von der Leyen told him.

Thank you very much.

listen,

I am not in a position to share more at this stage and what we have shared

in the readout that has been published on the press corner in the context of the,

to reflect the or to explain rather the meeting that took place between um

President von der Leyen and Mr.

Kellogg.

So I would invite you to

have another look at that readout.

Thank you.

Yes,

it's a follow up on this.

So does it mean that you didn't get any reassurances that you didn't get

any reassurances that Europe will have a place at the table from Mr.

Kellogg?

These are all questions which are revolving around the same topic,

which is,

and I can repeat what I have said before,

it is important that we are now in a very important process,

beginning of an important process with several meetings.

No solution for Ukraine without the involvement of Ukraine,

no solution for Ukraine and without the involvement of the European Union.

Of course all these meetings,

important meetings which take place need to come together

so that they lead to actual solution

for

Ukraine and its people.

Thank you.

Do you have a follow up?

Thank

you Stefan,

I have still a last follow up from my side on the

The readout,

I was wondering whether there was any reason why

the Kelloggs side hasn't been mentioned at all

since I was checking this morning one of

the last readout example given the one with um

on the meeting together with Ursula von der Leyen and J.D. Vance.

J.D Vance's site was mentioned.

Is there any reason why this time Kellogg's part hasn't been mentioned at all?

I think when we publish these readouts,

the objectives of these readouts is to show

what has been discussed,

important messages that have been passed,

and you find the important messages that have been

passed by the president explained by the readout.

So I think this is

something that we

usually do and of course in our readout we talk of course

we can only talk on behalf of what the president has said during

such meetings.

Thank you.

Yes,

and then I go to the other people.

Thank you.

Still on the same issue,

is there a specific reason why,

President Costa and President von der Leyen met,

General Kellogg separately and not in one session,

and,

a second question on the,

on the same topic,

as you know,

for instance,

President Zelensky has proposed that you should.

appoint,

a special envoy or lead negotiator

specifically because the EU needs to speak

with one voice.

Now even the institutions in Brussels don't seem to,

you know,

they cannot have one meeting

with US representative.

Is there a risk from your point of view that the EU lacks one voice?

Thank you very much.

It's very important that we

tackle

the extremely important challenges.

and difficult situation

in Ukraine together as the European Union

and I think this is something that uh we are doing um yesterday during the

meeting with President Macron and President von

der Leyen and President Costa were present.

it doesn't mean that always for every meeting,

everybody has to be together at the same time.

but I can only stress the importance in deed of of good cooperation,

which I think uh it can be

witnessed uh every day

in the work of our institutions.

Yeah.

but can you

correct me if I'm wrong,

but I

thought

that originally it was planned that President Costa

and President von der Leyen would meet,

General Kellogg

in one session.

Is this wrong?

I can only say that what we planned was what we published and what we announced,

which was a meeting between the President and Mr.

Kellogg,

but I don't have anything further to add as to

why or speculate as to why the meeting was organized this way.

This is a meeting that has been announced as such and indeed

took place

and

it was very good to have this important meeting.

Thank you.

Yes.

Mr Weber in Croatian radio television

during today's meeting with von der Leyen and Keith Kellogg,

did Keith Kellogg repeat his stance that Europe has no place at the negotiating table

regarding Ukraine?

what others may have said or may not have said.

I can only reiterate that again we are in the beginning of a

process with important meetings between important

partners and players that all work towards

a just and lasting and comprehensive

solution

and that these meetings need to come all together

so that we can

indeed

have or ensure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.

Yes,

thank you.

Yes,

in the different talks you had with different people from the US administration,

be in Munich or

here just

today,

do you have the feeling that there is a

fixed position in Washington or is the position fluctuating?

Depending on the interlocutor.

Thank you very much,

but no,

we cannot comment on that.

What matters is

the position that we are working on.

I think our position has been explained many,

many,

many times

and again today here in this press room,

and it's on the basis of this position

that we take our discussions and talks with our partners forward.

Thank you.

Keith Kellogg 3 minutes ago tweeted,

or posted on social media platform X that

he had great discussions this morning in Brussels with

EU President Costa.

Is there a reason why he didn't post

anything about his earlier meeting with the Commissioner

European Commission President von der Leyen?

Was the tenor of those talks different?

Thank you very much.

Unfortunately,

although we,

the Commission can do quite a lot of things,

we cannot read the minds

of other people,

so I'm not in a position to say why people have

tweeted or posted some messages rather than other messages on

the social media.

We had there was a good meeting between President von der Leyen and Mr.

Kellogg.

You find the readout and the main messages

that the president has passed during this meeting,

and I think this is what matters for us now.

Thank you.

I see I still have a few questions in interaxio we go to.

Chubinayonap,

I'm sorry for the

terrible pronunciation.

thank you.

It's been from Yan Youth Agency.

I also have a question about the readout today.

you used the word bloodshed,

describing this Ukraine war,

which is a word that President Trump and,

for example,

Elon Musk was saying that this war is a senseless bloodshed.

And I also looked up the commission website um

that was published uh for the

von der Leyen speech

since 2022 and she only used this term like only 5 times if I am not wrong.

So I was just wondering,

by using this word bloodshed,

don't you worry that this can send the wrong

message regarding the position of EU in Ukraine work.

Thank you.

thank you,

but

listen,

we can keep it very simple here.

Russia

started

this bloody war.

Against Ukraine

and that's a problem,

and we need to stop that.

We need to just and we need a fair and we need a comprehensive solution for Ukraine,

and we are focusing our attention on that work

with our partners,

and that's what matters now in the coming days and weeks.

Thank you.

yes,

I,

you know,

for the last 3 years,

almost,

you know,

I,

I kept asking,

you know,

why you guys don't pursue a ceasefire dialogue.

You know,

the answer is always,

uh,

Russia is not interested,

you know,

Ukraine must prevail,

Russia must be defeated,

you know,

China,

Brazil,

others tried to propose the many,

you know,

diplomatic solution.

China and the envoy,

but now I mean everybody asking about the EU is not going to get a

seat at the table.

So do you still believe that

Russia is not interested in talks,

not given they are

meeting Americans in Riyadh,

Saudi Arabia already and uh

do you think,

you know,

you are actually just,

you know,

adapting to the new reality.

Thank you.

There is a very simple solution to all of this.

Russia stops and gets back.

Indeed,

Russia can just withdraw the troops,

can stop the killing of innocent

people,

women,

children abducted.

Russia is an aggressor,

so Russia must step down and must pay for this.

Thank

you

Valentina

Hi,

do you hear me?

On your camera?

We need to see you.

Our interpreters need to see you.

That makes the work.

Yeah,

that's weird because they saw me before.

I don't know why it's unfortunately we don't see you now,

which is a pity.

Listen,

if it's not working now,

we can try again later,

OK?

So are there any other questions for us on this topic?

yes,

there you go.

OK,

related is good.

Valerias,

the public broadcaster of Ukraine,

I am not sure if it's for Anitta,

but still,

could you please confirm that the EU ambassadors will

begin discussing an initiative to create the uh fund

to support Ukraine which a few media outlets are.

Reported uh before and um uh this fund is

gonna be financed by voluntary contribution from EU member states

like uh one more for this um like peace facility

fund that you uh that has uh now thanks.

What I can say on this,

because

on our side there is a strong commitment to support Ukraine,

how long it will take

until its victory.

So here member states are willing to support.

There is a commitment to increase the support

and This brings us also to the state of play

today with the EU being the number one largest donor

when it comes to

Ukraine and also providing €135 billion

and with 48.7 billion in military assistance matching the US contribution.

Thank you Valentina,

shall we try again with you?

I hope your camera is working now.

Yes,

I think it's working.

Thank you.

Voice of America,

two questions.

So first one,

what,

leverage the European Union has to convince Americans and

Russians that the EU should be on the table?

And second one,

do you think that this leverage can be sanctions?

can it be the case that the United States was proposed

to put into lift sanctions and you will say no?

So on these

two main points.

First of all,

Russia's goal remains to suppress Ukraine and it's a threat both to

Ukraine but to Europe and

all its allies.

So we need to work together in ensuring that

what Russia has started

will be stopped,

and it's not a blue book as we have seen in.

How Russia

handled Syria and other atrocities

for future wars,

so this needs to be

prevented.

And in terms of all the toolboxes that we have

here,

we have shown,

be it through military support,

be it through sanctions against

Russia with 15 packages,

16 on the way,

that we can do a lot and we're

gearing up to do more.

Thank you.

I think we can only stress again the critical role that the EU is playing here

in ensuring Ukraine's financial stability and defense.

It suffice to take a look

at the commitments that have been made

of €135 billion

for instance,

to support Ukraine.

To see how critically important the role of the European Union is here.

Thank you.

Any other questions on this?

Not in interaction,

not in the room.

Do we have any other questions for Anita?

She is handling.

A lot of files