EU offers to donate military equipment confiscated in Libya to Ukraine – Politico

Members of the European Parliament are proposing to transfer military equipment confiscated last year off the coast of Libya to Ukraine, according to Politico.

EU members want to find a practical application for 146 units of armored vehicles confiscated during two operations of the EU's military-naval mission IRINI in efforts to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya.

According to an investigation published by the Dutch television program RTL Nieuws, members of the European Parliament will push EU countries to send the confiscated military equipment to the Ukrainian army.

Dutch liberal legislator Bart Groothuis asked MEPs to sign a letter by the end of the working day on October 26.

We call upon you to transfer the seized vehicles of the IRINI operation, and similar military equipment or ammunition from this or other EU operations, to Ukraine.

Groothuis had spoken with two EU ambassadors who were "both very enthusiastic and said it's very creative" but refused to disclose which EU countries were involved.

On October 27, the letter will be sent to EU member states from the European Council's Committee on Political and Security Affairs, which oversees security policy, and the European Peacebuilding Committee, which oversees non-budgetary EU funding provided to Ukraine.

EU leaders at the October 26-27 summit in Brussels will discuss, among other things, the acceleration of military support to Ukraine and the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine recovery.