This amounts to doubling the existing envelope. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said he was “certain” that the leaders of the 27 would “support” this idea.
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The European Union wants to step up its military aid to Ukraine. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, proposed, on Friday March 11, to double European funding to arm Ukraine, during the summit of EU Heads of State and Government meeting in Versailles. Josep Borrell announced to have “made a proposal to double the contribution [de l’UE] with 500 million euros more for armaments in support of the Ukrainian army”. “I am sure that the leaders will support her”he commented.
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What is the origin of this money? Funding comes from the “European Peace Facility”. It is a fund endowed with 5 billion euros. It is topped up by the Member States outside the Community budget. The use of funding is decided unanimously, but governments have the option of abstaining so as not to block the decision.
This option offered to countries which cannot agree to deliver arms to a country at war made it possible to release at the end of February an initial envelope of 500 million euros, unprecedented in European history for military support. The money from the “European Peace Facility” is used to reimburse the supplies of armaments taken by the Member States from their stocks.
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“The materials must appear on the list of armaments requested by Ukraine and reimbursements are retroactive to January 1, 2022”, explained a European official. The Ukrainian government has made very specific demands for equipment that the fighters are able to use, including air defense systems and anti-tank weapons, which have been used successfully to halt the advance of Russian troops and deprive them of air supremacy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Thursday that these deliveries were “dangerous”. “Those who are arming Ukraine must of course understand that they will bear the responsibility for their actions”launched the head of Russian diplomacy.