The EU is ready to take over the leadership of the group for Ukraine if the US does not want it

“I’m really sure that all the other members of the group, and hopefully the United States as well, are ready to continue supporting Ukraine,” Kallas said, according to the Politico portal, before heading to a rally of supporters of Ukraine in Ramstein, Germany.

According to Kallasová, the European Union is also ready to take over the leadership of the contact group “if the United States no longer wants to lead the group”. “We should not speculate about future US support. It is not in America’s interest for Russia to be the strongest in the world,” she noted.

Kallas’ comments contradict those of her predecessor, Josep Borrell, who claimed last year that “Europe cannot close the gap (after the United States) in terms of support for Ukraine.”

US President-elect Donald Trump’s statement earlier this week, when he claimed he “understands” Russia’s concerns about NATO, caused consternation among supporters of Ukraine. Thursday’s statement by his future special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, was, on the contrary, reassuring.

“Trump does not want to give anything to Putin or the Russians and will try to save Ukraine and protect its sovereignty,” said Kellogg. According to him, the newly elected American president will try to “find a solution to the conflict raging for almost three years within 100 days of taking the oath”, he added.

Outgoing US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a new $500 million (CZK 12.2 billion) aid package for Ukraine, including air defense missiles, ammunition and equipment for F-16 fighters, at the summit of Ukraine’s allies at the German Ramstein base on Thursday. This is apparently the last military aid that the outgoing administration of Joe Biden will provide to Kyiv before Trump returns to the White House on January 20.