European Council President António Costa will set aside time for an extensive discussion of Ukraine during the informal meeting of European Union leaders in Dublin on November 13. This is stated in a letter to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, sent in response to his letter of November 9, European Pravda reported.
“I will set aside time for an extensive discussion of Ukraine at the upcoming informal meeting of the European Council in Dublin,” Costa wrote. He noted that the decision was related to the latest developments surrounding the war and diplomatic efforts to end it.
Funding to be discussed in Brussels
In the letter, Costa draws a distinction between the political discussion on Ukraine in Dublin and the specific decision concerning the country’s financial needs. According to him, this issue will be considered at a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on November 26 and 27.
The President of the European Council specified that, before the meeting, the European Commission must present a proposal for covering Ukraine’s needs.
Pressure for a common EU commitment intensifies
Costa’s letter comes after Merz insisted that Germany’s support for the EU budget for the 2028–2034 period be tied to the consent of all member states to participate in financing Ukraine.
The shortfall in Ukraine’s funding for 2027 is estimated at €70 billion. The European Union has committed to providing around €45 billion, and the European Commission is preparing options for fulfilling that commitment.
According to European Pravda, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have said they will not participate in additional financial assistance for Kyiv. At its meeting in October, the European Council instructed the Commission to prepare proposals for covering the shortfall.
The official agenda of the informal meeting in Dublin includes a discussion of the latest developments surrounding Russia’s war against Ukraine, the peace negotiations and their impact on Europe’s security. However, the main financial decision is scheduled for the special meeting in Brussels at the end of November.
Sources: eurointegration.com.ua