Summit in Brussels: EU promises new aid to Ukraine before second winter of war

The heads of state and government of the EU countries have assured Ukraine of continued supplies of arms and ammunition before the second winter of war. They also promise the delivery of additional power generators and mobile heating stations as well as greater efforts to force Russia to participate in repairing war damage.

The European Union will provide decisive financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic assistance to Ukraine and its people for as long as necessary, the leaders said in a statement. The EU’s support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz was certain that the current focus on the Gaza war would not change anything. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj had been assured “that our support for Ukraine will not diminish,” said the SPD politician after the summit. Nor will it be affected by the fact that “we now have this bitter new problem that has arisen from the terrible, brutal attack by Hamas on Israel and the citizens there.”

Troublemaker Hungary

However, the publication of the statement was overshadowed by renewed veto threats from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. At the EU summit, he once again opposed the proposal for a 50 billion euro financial aid package for Ukraine. According to diplomats, his official reason for this was an alleged lack of clarity as to whether the previous aid had been used sensibly.

However, EU partners believe it is likely that Orban is actually interested in freeing more than 13 billion euros in frozen EU funding for his country. The EU Commission announced around a year ago that it would only release the funds if Orban’s right-wing nationalist government fully implemented promises to uphold the rule of law.

Critical words about the plans for the planned new aid to Ukraine also came from the new Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. He attached conditions to his support. In a statement he spoke out against possible cuts in EU funding from which Slovakia benefits. He called for guarantees that EU payments to Ukraine “will not be embezzled.” In addition, part of the money must also go to Slovak companies that are participating in the reconstruction of Ukraine.

The EU as a hostage?

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel accused Orban of attempting to blackmail the EU because of his comments. It could not be the case that Orban tied his approval for new aid to Ukraine to the disbursement of EU funds for his country, criticized Bettel. One cannot want to take the European Union hostage.

According to the summit declaration, particularly intensive work will be carried out on the rapid provision of missiles and ammunition as well as anti-aircraft systems to protect the population and critical infrastructure.

Discussions on security commitments

The heads of state and government called on EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to hold talks with Ukraine on possible long-term security commitments by the next summit in December. Borrell has suggested making longer-term financing commitments for military aid and also using EU money to support the delivery of modern fighter jets and missiles.

Specifically, he wants to mobilize five billion euros annually for military aid from 2024 to the end of 2027, which will come in addition to the 50 billion euros in budget aid. He is also considering promising the government in Kiev a significant expansion of the military training program for the Ukrainian armed forces. If circumstances permit, a gradual relocation of training activities to Ukraine could even be considered.

Russian money is intended to finance reconstruction

In the discussion about financing the elimination of the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the heads of state and government called on Borrell and the EU Commission to accelerate work on proposals for forced participation by Russia. The aim is therefore to use income from the management of frozen Russian assets for reconstruction – as far as this is possible in accordance with applicable contractual obligations as well as with EU and international law.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen then announced that they are currently working on a proposal that will initially focus on so-called windfall profits. These are “already significant, and the idea is to pool them and then pass them on to Ukraine and the reconstruction of Ukraine through the EU budget.” Random profits are income that was not previously expected – for example, caused by price increases.

Orban’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing also caused trouble at the EU summit. “What he did with Putin is a stinking finger for all the soldiers and the Ukrainians who die every day and have to suffer from Russian attacks,” said Bettel, referring to the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he found it in bad taste that Orban shook Putin’s hand.

Orban defends meeting with Putin

Orban defended his meeting again on Friday. Hungary is pursuing a peace strategy and is doing everything it can to create peace, he wrote on the short message service X. The meeting with the Russian President should also be seen in this context.