Yes,

thank you.

It's Stephanie Lerouge from Agence France Presse.

I've got a question relating to Ukraine and raw materials.

We heard in the margins of the Commission visit to Kiev

yesterday that there's a proposal on raw materials from the Commission.

Could you tell us a bit more details?

Will there be an official proposal soon?

What exactly is the win-win situation?

I'm over here.

That the commission aims at and when could this be tabled.

Thank you.

Thomas today on this matter.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Yes indeed.

So there is no proposal.

So

since 2021,

the EU has a partnership on critical raw materials with Ukraine

formalized through our memorandum of understanding.

So this dates back 4 years ago,

as with all the EU critical raw materials partnerships that we have,

this corporation is not only

about securing supply chains

for the EU but also about fostering.

Um,

local value creation and capacity building in partner countries ensuring mutual

benefits.

Now,

as you see,

this is really here about cooperation with Ukraine

and not about any sort of competition with the US.

During yesterday's college visit to Kiev,

indeed EVP Cjourne met with his Ukrainian counterparts,

and he reaffirmed our commitment to implement this memorandum of understanding

and accelerating the work to strengthen our mutually beneficial

partnership.

Now it was said several times yesterday,

but let me repeat it again,

the EU stands with Ukraine and will continue to do so as

Ukrainian as Ukraine is fighting for the entire security of our continent.

Thanks Thomas.

Other questions specifically relating to raw materials,

a very brief follow-up because I really have

many hands raised apologies for the timing constraint.

Yeah.

Be sure,

when you talk about securing supply chains,

what exactly does this mean if you say we are not in a competition with the US?

This means that

the partnership that we have.

And again it dates back to 2021,

so these discussions didn't emerge now in light of potential recent events.

So the partnership that we have with our Ukrainian friends

dates back four years ago.

And

as with all the critical raw materials and memorandum of understandings we have

with our partners,

it is about,

of course,

creating synergies between the supply chains on one side and the other.

And then of course,

creating benefits also for our uh partners on the ground,

um and this is uh what this memorandum of understanding is about.

Thomas.

Questions on critical raw materials,

yes,

go ahead.

Mr

Radio Free Europe,

Ukrainian service and Current Time TV

I have

also followed up on this.

So if there is

this partnership agreement between the EU and Ukraine dating 4 years ago,

and now there is new.

Discussions about a partnership agreement or any kind

of other agreement with the United States,

do they overlap anyhow whether there any kind

of discussions on how to further cooperate in

the light of the willing of the US to have access to the raw materials?

Thank you.

I think

this is indeed in line with what executive vice

president Stéphane Séjourné has said yesterday to our Ukrainian counterparts.

Indeed,

we have a memorandum of understanding.

We reaffirmed our commitment to it,

and we of course look forward to implement it.

Thanks,

Thomas.

Other questions on this,

on,

yeah,

it's some critical raw materials,

go ahead.

Hi,

I'm Melina Ravasque from Euronews.

So,

uh,

there is a deal that the US is pushing for be agreed,

uh,

with Ukraine about,

uh,

reconstruction plans,

and there are,

there is a part on this deal about also,

um,

resources of Ukraine,

so I'm.

Just wondering whether the Commission is aware about this deal.

It was involved in a way or another,

or just there is a coordination with the US authorities on this,

or you are concerned in a way that the EU

would not appear to be involved in any in any way about that.

Thank you.

Uh,

I'm sorry,

I was missing part of the question.

Can you repeat my mind?

Yeah,

I mean the free part of the question,

if you are aware about this deal between the US and Ukraine,

if you card it in a way or another with the US authority,

and third,

if you are

afraid that the EU is not enough involved in such kind of negotiations,

thank you so much.

Thanks if I understand your question correctly and apologies for the first uh time.

Well,

it's not really for us to comment on a

possible deal between Ukraine and US from our perspective,

I think that our position on

Ukraine and our engagement with Ukraine is crystal clear.

We are supporting Ukraine and all the process

and we have committed.

Also to support Ukraine in the reconstruction phase,

the president has also confirmed yesterday her support or

our support to Ukraine in this reconstruction moment,

also in the speeches that she has given,

so I would point you to the language she

has used yesterday in this regards for further information.

You have a follow up.

Very quickly,

are you aware that this deal is on in place in another negotiations?

Thank you.

I think we have seen of course press reporting on this matter.

I would need to check whether we were officially informed about this

yesterday in the course of the contacts that we had with Ukraine,

but this is a matter between Ukrainian authorities and the US authorities,

as I said,

our position general is crystal clear and for

what concerns our agreement on critical raw materials,

Thomas has portrayed the general

approach to it.

Other questions on Ukraine,

apologies.

I'm really trying to speed.

Yes,

go ahead.