EU will continue to help Ukraine even without U.S., but will have to find additional funds for that - Borrell

BRUSSELS. Nov 14 (Interfax) - The European Union should continue to support Kiev regardless of any terms for military aid for Ukraine to be put forth by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said,

"How will we react? We will simply continue to honor our obligations to Ukraine and its people and will continue to supply the aid they need to ensure their defense. This will require funds," Borrell said during the debate on EU-U.S. relations in light of the U.S. presidential election at the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

If all forms of assistance for Ukraine are summed up, the EU's aid for Kiev is far larger than that provided by the U.S., he said. However, U.S. military aid has been considerable, and "replacing the United States would require huge financial and industrial efforts," he said.

This prospect prompts the EU to revisit the issue of how it should handle immobilized Russian assets, Borrell said.

"We have decided to use revenues from these assets to help the Ukrainian defense industry, but it will no longer be enough. So, again the question is what to do with these assets. Not the revenues from the assets but the assets themselves," Borrell said.

At the same time, one ought to be wary of a diplomatic solution that would allow the U.S. and Russia to resolve the Ukrainian conflict without Ukraine and the EU, he said.

"Nothing must be decided without Kiev's agreement," Borrell said.