The ministers agreed to impose new sanctions on Russia and increase weapons' deliveries to Ukraine after Putin declared the country's first wartime mobilization since World War Two to fight in Ukraine.

“I convened this evening an ad-hoc meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. We decided to bring forward as soon as possible additional restrictive measures against Russia in coordination with partners. We will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts through provision of military equipment,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Twitter.

I convened this evening an ad-hoc meeting of EU Foreign Ministers

We decided to bring forward as soon as possible additional restrictive measures against Russia in coordination with partners

We will continue to support #Ukraine’s efforts through provision of military equipment pic.twitter.com/4jTNuXAh3s

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) September 22, 2022

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization in Russia and signed the corresponding decree No. 647.

The decision to mobilize was made shortly after the successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast and a day after the announcement of referendums on the accession of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.

Representatives of governments and diplomats of European countries, as well as the United States, in their statements, described Putin's decision to mobilize as a sign of Russia's failure in the war with Ukraine and a step towards the escalation of the conflict and also pointed out that the decision indicates a panic of the Russian leadership.

Some representatives noted that their governments would continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine to protect against Russian aggression. (ILKHA)