He told the Financial Times about it.
With the outbreak of hostilities, Borrell turned to EU countries with the idea of purchasing weapons for Ukraine, he said.
“Listen, would you agree to use the European Peace Fund to arm Ukraine?
And silence, ”the official recalls conversations with representatives of the countries of the union, his words are quoted by RBC.
At this point, he already knew that "the taboo had been broken," the article says.
As the publication reminds, the European Peace Fund appeared in March 2021 for military spending "in order to prevent conflicts, maintain peace and strengthen international security and stability."
Borrell explained that military assistance is prohibited by the founding treaties of the union, but the fund is not part of the official budget of the EU, and therefore does not fall under the jurisdiction of the union treaties.
At the same time, the European Parliament does not have control over this money.
In December, Borrell noted that the European Peace Fund would be expanded by €2 billion in 2023, and then it could be expanded again by an additional €3.5 billion.
In his opinion, the supply of arms and diplomatic efforts in Ukraine can occur in parallel.