Narratives in Media Coverage of Ukraine-23 April 2023

Ukraine and NATO

• NATO has pledged support “for as long as it takes” against Russia.  NBC quoted NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg after defense leaders met at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. (NBC)
  • Stoltenberg made a surprise visit to Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the war (The Brussels Times)
• For the EU and NATO, military mobility has become a new priority after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.  The European Policy Center has published a Policy Brief outlining how the EU has changed its strategy and objectives, its challenges, and policy recommendations. (EPC)
• Stoltenberg also said that Ukraine’s “rightful place” is in NATO. (AP) (The Brussels Times)
• The focus of the meeting at Ramstein was air defense and ammunition. (Euractiv)

Conflict Over Munitions With Ukraine

• Politico reports that Ukraine’s foreign minister tweeted that “the inability of the EU to implement its own decision on the joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine is frustrating.  This is a test of whether the EU has strategic autonomy in making new crucial security decisions.  For Ukraine, the cost of inaction is measured in human lives.” (Politico)
  • This was a criticism of the EU’s failure to implement a plan on helping “deliver Kyiv up to 1 million shells in the next 12 months” after negotiations have stalled on “how to spend the 1 billion euros set aside for joint contracts.” (Politico)
• The main conflict comes from which manufacturers will get the EU money – is it restricted to EU manufacturers, or does it include US and UK manufacturers? (Politico)
• This is one of the few times Ukraine has publicly voiced frustration about ‘Ukraine fatigue’ in Europe (Euractiv)

Brazil, EU, and Ukraine

• The West criticized Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva about comments concerning the war in Ukraine, particularly his assertion that the West has been “encouraging” the war through its support of Ukraine. (Reuters)
• Later, Lula condemned the war and called for a peace settlement.  The EU has condemned Lula’s “suggestion that both Ukraine and Russia are to blame for the war.” (Reuters)
  • EU foreign affairs spokesman: aid from the EU is for “legitimate defense.” (European Commission)
• Lula is quoted as saying, “Brazil does not want to participate in the war; Brazil wants to build peace” and that the European Union should “start talking about peace.”  By not doing so, they are “contributing to the war” (The Brussels Times)

Ukraine’s Accession to the EU

• “The Commission promised to deliver an update on Ukraine’s progress on meeting the EU’s accession milestones by the spring, following member countries’ historic decision to grant it candidate status last June” (Politico)

European Commission Sanctions Package

• The European Commission is working on the 11th Russia sanctions package, with growing pressure to sanction Rosatom. (Euractiv)
• The United States Treasury Department is warning European countries that Washington thinks that Russia is evading sanctions. (Euractiv)
• Poland is pushing for sanctions on “Russia’s top gas bank, oil pipeline, and diamonds.” (EU Observer)

Author: Sophie Adams-Smith