Italy and France’s “scepticism” blocks major EU aid package for Ukraine, Spiegel says
Pravda Ukraine
The challenges in securing an agreement on a multi-billion dollar military support package for Ukraine at the EU level are said to stem, in part, from scepticism in Italy and France.
Source: Spiegel, citing diplomatic sources, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Spiegel reported that French and Italian officials had expressed scepticism about providing significant funding to support Kyiv, citing Paris and Rome’s large public debts as a key concern.
The newspaper also reports that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron aim to take a leading role in EU negotiations with the United States. However, the proposal for a new support package, put forward by the EU’s diplomacy chief, Kaja Kallas, appears to contradict this ambition.
Spiegel also reports that Hungary and Slovakia have opposed the approval of the aid package for Ukraine. Still, their opposition is considered to be of secondary importance, as the package is expected to be approved by the willing member states rather than requiring unanimous approval from the entire EU.
Background:
- Earlier, Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, confirmed media reports about a European aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to be announced on the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion.
- The exact amounts of funds for the military aid will be finalised following a discussion between EU foreign ministers on Monday, 24 February.
- European Pravda has found that the package will contain artillery ammunition, air defence systems and missiles, as well as training, combat equipment and the restoration of Ukrainian brigades’ capabilities.
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