The European Union (EU) has agreed to provide a significant financial boost of 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) to a central fund to offer Ukraine military aid. This decision was made during a meeting of EU member states in Brussels, Belgium, as Ukraine faces ongoing challenges in its conflict with Russia and experiences wavering support from the United States.
Since the beginning of Moscow’s 2022 invasion, the EU has committed 6.1 billion euros from its central European Peace Facility to reimburse member states for the arms sent to Ukraine. This additional funding will be used to support arms supplies to Kyiv in 2024. The push to increase the EU fund by an extra 5 billion euros faced delays due to disagreements between Germany and France.
Germany has now reached a compromise with Brussels, allowing a percentage of its bilateral support to be offset against the fund. France has agreed to prioritise purchases from European defence firms but may look outside the EU if specific ammunition or systems are not readily available.
Since the onset of the conflict, the EU and its member states have spent approximately 28 billion euros to support Ukraine’s military efforts. The latest funds for Ukraine come from its forces, which face pressure along the front line due to ammunition shortages. The United States recently announced a fresh $300 million weapons package for Ukraine, but a further $60 billion in funding remains stalled by Congress.
EU leaders are set to discuss efforts to bolster Europe’s industry and continue supporting Ukraine at a summit in Brussels next week. The bloc aims to increase weapons and ammunition production by its defence industry, addressing the ongoing challenge of ramping up output. This comprehensive support from the EU demonstrates its commitment to helping Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against Russia and maintaining stability in the region.
Team BharatShakti
