EU’s 20 billion euro plan for Ukraine military aid hits resistance

A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21.4 billion) on military aid for Ukraine is meeting resistance from EU countries and may not survive in its current form, diplomats say.

Josep Borrell, the EU‘s foreign policy chief, proposed in July that the bloc create a fund with up to 5 billion euros a year over four years as part of broader Western security commitments to bolster Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion.But as EU defence ministers prepare to discuss the plan in Brussels on Tuesday, diplomats say multiple countries – including EU heavyweight Germany – have voiced reservations about committing such large sums years in advance.The EU and its members have been among the biggest donors of military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, providing arms and equipment worth some 25 billion euros, according to the bloc’s diplomatic service.Borrell’s proposal was an effort to put support on a longer-term footing, by creating a cash pot for Ukraine aid inside a bigger fund, the European Peace Facility, used to reimburse EU members for military assistance to other countries.

via Reuters