Questioned about possible new EU aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said that Luxembourg is helping "as much as possible".

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who arrived at the European Council in Brussels on Thursday, said that sanctions should not be rushed in, and that Europe should stagger its reaction to Russia.
 
Should the EU step up a gear and impose an embargo on Russian oil? "There is fuel, gas, there are several issues…," said Bettel. "If we want to take new sanctions, they must be in reaction to something."
 
The prime minister's statements illustrate that European leaders fear one thing: aggravating the conflict. "At the moment, the situation is not getting better," Bettel said. But if Europe takes new sanctions now "in a situation that is still the status quo, what will the next steps be?".
 
The potential backlash against an embargo stops its implementation for now. An embargo, Bettel explained, "will hurt them, a lot, but it will hurt us too". Overall, "there has to be a balance," the prime minister stressed.

Regarding Luxembourg's involvement, the prime minister said that the country is helping as much as possible. "We have already done a lot," Bettel said, pointing out that Luxembourg has given weapons to Ukraine, "something we have never done before".

The prime minister acknowledged that the Grand Duchy is limited in what it can supply, stating "I can't give an aeroplane, I'm sorry, I don't have an aeroplane in the Luxembourg army". Nevertheless, Bettel assured that Luxembourg wants to support Ukraine "as much as possible".
 
The prime minister concluded his speech with a request for a ceasefire. "A ceasefire is more than necessary," Bettel stressed, pointing out that while people in central and western Europe are talking about Ukraine's situation "they are living it".

"While we are talking, they are suffering," the prime minister reiterated.