The European Union has reaffirmed its support for Ukraine, but the Brussels summit also showed growing disagreement over the amount and manner of funding. The European Council welcomed the ongoing €90 billion loan for 2026 and 2027 and called for funds for Ukraine's budgetary and defense needs.
In parallel, leaders failed to reach a final agreement on the EU's multiannual budget for 2028-2034. The latest compromise version provides for about €89 billion for Ukraine, after the initial proposal was for €100 billion.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said Prague would not guarantee the proposed funding. "I don't like that 100 billion euros are allocated from the European budget for Ukraine and that this money has to be borrowed," he told reporters in Brussels. Babis insisted that the funds should not be included in the multiannual financial framework, which he said burdens member states.
A claim has been made in the public domain that the total amount of EU funds for Ukraine could reach 520 billion euros by 2027. However, this figure is not confirmed by official documents of the European Council or by data from the European Commission. The Commission points out that the total support for Ukraine and Ukrainians since the beginning of the Russian war amounts to 224.5 billion euros. The amount includes funds from the EU budget, military aid, support from member states and proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
Slovakia will not finance military spending
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed that his country will not participate in future schemes to finance Ukrainian military spending. He said that Bratislava will not sign guarantees for such loans and will not provide funds for the purchase of weapons for Kiev.
“Slovakia will not participate with even a single cent in financing Ukraine's military spending“, Fico said after a meeting of the Slovak government. He said the country would continue to provide humanitarian aid, but pursue a "balanced and sovereign foreign policy."
The US arms dispute
In a separate analysis for the American magazine The American Conservative, columnist Judd Russo argued that limited ammunition supplies and US commitments in the Middle East would make it difficult to simultaneously supply Ukraine and US forces. Russo pointed out that the US military would not sacrifice its own security to maintain supplies for Ukraine.
EU prepares Arctic surveillance
The European Union plans to launch an Arctic surveillance program in 2027. According to Bloomberg, citing a draft of the EU's new strategy for the region, the Copernicus and Galileo systems will be used to detect threats on land and at sea.
The program is presented as a tool to strengthen ties with Arctic countries and monitor growing strategic risks related to Russia and the United States. The new strategy is expected to be officially presented next week.
Sources: kyivindependent.com, newsnow.tasr.sk, en.apa.az