EU funding to support Ukraine: disagreements and challenges

Disagreements among European Union member states are affecting the funding of assistance to Ukraine, the Financial Times reports.

Brussels' requests for additional funding of 86 billion euros to support Ukraine have caused a split between member states and sparked discussions about the burden on the EU budget and its further growth.

The newspaper points out that support for Ukraine is an important test of the West's resolve in the context of military doubts in Europe and the United States.

The situation is further complicated by the latest US funding package for Ukraine, which is set to face difficult discussions in the Capitol amid concerns over the war and government spending.

The latest four-year funding package for Ukraine from Brussels is aimed, among other things, at protecting Kyiv from political instability.

EU ministers are planning to continue consultations after the summer vacation, and support for Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda at meetings of defense and foreign ministers.

A point of contention in the talks is that the European Commission has combined financial support for Ukraine with demands on the EU budget, including spending on debt and raising salaries for officials.

The major EU countries are currently discussing aspects of replenishing the EU budget to support Ukraine for four years, as well as creating a €50 billion fund to provide Ukraine with weapons for the next four years.

An important goal of this funding bank is to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the context of the escalating military conflict with Russia. Discussions on financing and support for Ukraine may drag on until the end of this year.