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The European Union’s executive branch said the world must already start helping Ukraine with reconstruction, as it continues to be bombarded by Russia. The bloc also said it was prepared to coordinate reconstruction measures with a secretariat.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday at the Ukraine reconstruction conference in Berlin that the world must not waste time and help Ukraine in its reconstruction. Von der Leyen added that the bloc was ready to coordinate reconstruction measures with a secretariat.
“We have no time to waste, the scale of destruction is staggering. The World Bank puts the cost of the damage at 350 billion euros,” said von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen also said an international platform for Ukraine’s reconstruction is needed as soon as possible, ideally by the end of the year or in early 2023. Von der Leyen said that the European Commission was ready to provide the secretariat to it.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that the United States is considering sending Ukraine older HAWK air defense equipment following the recent Russian drone and missile attacks across the country, according to two officials. The HAWK interceptor missiles is described as an upgrade to the Stinger missile systems that Washington has already provided Ukraine with.
The Biden administration would be invoking the Presidential Drawdown Authority to transfer the HAWK equipment that is based on Vietnam war-era technology and has since been upgraded. The PDA will allow the US to transfer defense articles and stocks without the need for congressional approval in response to an emergency.
The HAWK system is the predecessor to the PATRIOT missile defense system, which according to the two officials, has been ruled out in providing for Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden previously pledged to send advanced air defense systems to Ukraine in his call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has also said that Spain plans to send four HAWK launchers to Ukraine.
US officials said the PDA is being considered for later this week and one official said it was likely that it would be around half the size of the latest security assistance packages that are worth around $700 million.
