Russia EU chief diplomat: Many details for Ukraine plan still open
Ukraine will have to wait for new military aid commitments from the EU.
17.03.2025, 13:59
SDA
There is broad political support for a corresponding initiative, but many details still need to be clarified, said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
She pointed out that the defense ministers of the EU member states must also be involved. According to diplomats, a decision in principle is likely to be taken at the earliest on Thursday at the spring summit of heads of state and government.
Kallas' current plans provide for aid worth 20 to 40 billion euros to be made available this year to Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. Member states are to make contributions in line with their economic strength.
However, in order to prevent individual governments from using their veto, participation would be voluntary, as can be seen from a text from the Foreign Service available to the German Press Agency. Hungary in particular rejects EU military aid as pointless and a prolongation of the war. The right-wing conservative government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently forced the lifting of EU sanctions against several Russians.
Germany wants to mobilize seven billion euros in 2025
For Germany, the pledge of support requested by Kallas would presumably not be a problem, as aid amounting to four billion euros has already been approved for this year and another three billion euros will soon be added. However, other large countries such as France, Italy and Spain would have to significantly increase their support for Ukraine if they wanted to be involved in line with their economic strength.
At the EU meeting on Monday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for resolute support for Ukraine. "We are filling the scales for our own security, for security in Europe and for the security of Ukraine," she said.
In addition to concrete financial commitments, the Kallas initiative also includes a target for the provision of long-range artillery ammunition. Participating states are to enable the delivery of two million rounds this year.
