The EU has blocked seven decisions on financing five billion euros of military aid to Ukraine, EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrel has said.
Borrell said EU ministers have faced accusations of failing to honour their commitments, “but we have seven blocked decisions on five billion euros of aid,” he stressed during a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
On Monday, the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states failed to approve a final decision on channelling proceeds from Russian assets to supply weapons to Kyiv. The EU ministers approved a proposal to use 90 per cent of the profits for Ukraine’s military needs through the European Peace Fund.
Diplomats said ministers in the room expressed their disappointment and urged Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó to lift Budapest’s blockage on military aid to Ukraine.
“”Tempers ran quite high,” said one diplomat briefed on the discussions. Several officials also said the exchange was one of the most heated in recent years among EU foreign ministers.
EU foreign policy decisions require unanimous support from all 27 member states.
In comments on Facebook, Szijjártó said:
German, Irish, Polish colleagues created a scene, but that could not change our position, regardless of what the war-favouring politicians are shouting.
The European Commission had earlier proposed that 90 per cent of the proceeds from Russia’s frozen assets in Europe be used to buy weapons for Ukraine, albeit with a caveat. The proposal was to include only funds received after 15 February 2024, the agreed date for EU countries to initiate transfers to Ukraine.
Nevertheless, the European Commission decided to keep €5 billion as a buffer to cover current and potential legal claims against Russia in various jurisdictions, which aims to protect against legal liability.
