Next year, an additional 45 billion euros from EU funds will be introduced to Ukraine. Not all member states are willing to participate. Chancellor Merz adds pressure to an EU informal summit.
Shortly before the European summits in Dublin, a debate over future support for Ukraine has erupted. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ( The CDU for ‘uninhibited’ behavior, because of its demand for EU countries without exception to make their contribution.
Meanwhile, Merz reaffirmed that support for Ukraine is not the duty of individual member states, but a joint task of the European Union.
I will not give up in front of this, Fico said before reporters. We are a sovereign country, the Slovak prime minister stressed, and we have our opinion on the matter. )
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ( The CDU had earlier called on all member states of the European Union to provide a fair contribution for covering a billion-euro financial shortage for Ukraine. In a letter to European Council President Antónnio Costa, he indirectly warned that he could block progress on other financial issues unless a common commitment for Ukraine’s support is made.
According to the letter, provided by the German Press Agency (dpa), such commitment is essential prerequisite for solving this problem and discussing other topics, especially those with financial consequences. For next year, Ukraine faces a financial shortage of 45 billion euros.
Merz also requires that during negotiations on the EU’s long-term budget for the period 2028-34 a common solution, supported by all member states, be a guarantee of sustainable and multi-year financing for Ukraine, which continues to face Russian aggression. The European Union aims to reach an agreement on the new financial framework by the end of this year.
European Common Security Issue
Ukraine’s support is a matter of our common European security, and this should be reflected in the division of the aid burden, Merz wrote in his letter to Costa. He urged the European Council president to address this topic as a priority at the EU informal summit, to be held in Dublin on Friday.
Earlier, the European Commission had estimated that the financial vacuum for next year totals 70 billion euros, of which the EU is expected to cover 45 billion euros. Last year, the European Union had approved 90 billion euros in aid to Ukraine for the period 2026-2027.
However, these funds are not considered sufficient. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski had demanded an additional 70 billion euros from Western allies since October to finance the country’s defence against Russian aggression. After that request, EU leaders urged the European Commission to submit a proposal to secure additional funds.
Bulgaria, Slovakia against new assistance
However, some member states are showing resistance. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico have declared that their countries will not support new EU financial packages for Ukraine. Hungary and the Czech Republic are also considered uncertain partners in the matter. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar held a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. Support for Ukraine was one of the main topics of the talks. There Merz stressed that support for Ukraine should come fully from the European budget.
Germany remains Ukraine’s largest donor within the European Union, which explains Merzi’s insistence on a broader and more fair distribution of the financial burden among member states. / DW
Source Layer: Insander
