Von der Leyen in Ukraine: Plans for economic, military and diplomatic support

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, will meet with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss recent developments and the next steps in strengthening the European path of this state, according to a press release issued on Friday by the European Union Executive. During her trip to Ukraine today, on the occasion of the third anniversary of Russia's war in this part of Europe, Ursula von der Leyen will be accompanied by all European Commissioners and will participate in a joint meeting with the government in Kiev, according to the cited source. During the meeting, the President of the European Commission will reaffirm the EU's unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight for independence and freedom, especially since in the last three years the community bloc has committed considerable resources to help and support the Ukrainian state in achieving a major goal: a just and lasting peace. The EU is by far the largest donor to Ukraine, providing financial, military and humanitarian support. The Union has enabled arms deliveries, trained Ukrainian soldiers and imposed 16 rounds of tough sanctions against Russia, aimed at weakening its ability to sustain the war effort.

Also during this official visit of the European Commission to Kiev, the "Defense and Security Strategy of Unity. Action Plan" summit will take place, which will discuss Ukraine's defense, its support, and the urgent measures that the EU will soon take to this end.

In this context, we recall that on Friday, according to a press release issued by the Community Executive in Brussels, Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen presented measures to strengthen the resilience and security of submarine cables, given that Sweden and Finland have repeatedly reported the intentional damage to submarine cables by commercial vessels that they suspect are acting in the Baltic Sea in the interests of the Russian Federation. According to the presentation, in the coming period, risks related to submarine cables will be assessed and funding will be prioritized for the deployment of smart cables, which offer redundancies and increased resilience, cables that will be permanently monitored to allow early warnings and rapid and effective reactions from factors in Brussels and EU member states. Among the measures presented are also the application of sanctions and diplomatic measures against hostile actors, the use of the Hybrid Toolbox to combat hybrid attack campaigns on European infrastructure and the development of a "cable diplomacy" in partnership with third countries.

This strategy complements the current efforts of the Expert Group on Submarine Cable Infrastructure, consisting of representatives of member states and the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). The initiative also supports NATO activities and national and regional measures already implemented, underlining Europe's commitment to protecting critical infrastructure.

The European Commission and the EU High Representative will progressively implement these measures in 2025 and 2026, working closely with Member States and ENISA. By the end of 2025, the following initiatives will be presented: mapping of existing and planned submarine cable infrastructure; coordinated assessment of risks associated with submarine cables; development of a cable security toolbox with risk reduction measures; identification of priority projects for submarine cable infrastructure of European interest.

Critical infrastructure security will also be a key element of the future European Internal Security Strategy, strengthening Europe's preparedness for hybrid risks and threats.