EU nations discuss new plan for military aid to Ukraine
Ambassadors from EU countries will begin discussions on Tuesday regarding a new initiative to finance military support for Ukraine. The funding is expected to come from voluntary contributions from member states, proportional to their national income, and profits derived from frozen Russian assets.
The European Union is making another attempt to secure funding for military aid to Ukraine. On Tuesday, the ambassadors from member countries will start discussing a new fund aimed at enabling support to be delivered as early as 2024.
The main points of the initiative were laid out in a document obtained by the Polish Press Agency (PAP). It highlights that the primary goal is to meet Ukraine's most urgent defense needs, including artillery ammunition, air defense systems, and support for the Ukrainian defense industry.
While the document includes a section to specify the total amount of support, no specific figure has been provided at this stage.
Sources of funding: contributions and frozen Russian assets
Financing the aid is expected to come from two sources:
- Contributions from member countries—these will be proportional to their national income, calculated similarly to payments to the EU budget.
- Profits from frozen Russian assets—according to estimates, this could amount to €900 ($950) million this year, helping to reduce the financial burden for member states.
This model would allow EU countries to decide how they provide support—whether in the form of ready-to-deliver weapons or through payments to a joint fund.
Assistance tailored to national policies
The new initiative offers a flexible approach to spending funds, aiming to respect the status of some EU countries, particularly those maintaining neutrality on military issues.
The priority areas of support identified include:
- Delivery of large-caliber artillery ammunition (target minimum: 1.5 million shells),
- Air defense systems and long-range missiles,
- Support for the regeneration of Ukrainian army brigades (training and equipment),
- Joint industrial initiatives between the EU and Ukraine to strengthen the Ukrainian defense sector.
Bypassing Hungary's veto?
The new fund will not replace the European Peace Facility (EPF), whose funds for supporting Ukraine have been blocked by Hungary for months. Brussels is still considering ways to bypass Hungary's veto, especially concerning reimbursing countries that have already provided military assistance to Ukraine.
For the new mechanism to be EU-wide, all EU countries would have to agree. However, to prevent another deadlock, participation in the initiative could be voluntary.
