EU Cannot Agree on a €90 Billion Loan for Ukraine Due to Weapons Dispute

Loan Program to Support Ukraine

According to Главком: The countries of the European Union cannot agree on the terms of a €90 billion loan program to support Ukraine due to disagreements regarding the possibility of purchasing American weapons. French President Emmanuel Macron advocates for supporting the European defense industry, insisting on the principle of 'Buy European.' Meanwhile, most countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, believe that Ukraine should have the right to independently choose its arms suppliers.

Situation with Arms Supply

EU leaders agreed on the formal parameters of financial assistance at the European Council summit in December; however, the issue of arms supply remains unresolved. The Dutch government emphasizes that Ukraine urgently needs equipment from outside the EU, indicating the necessity for a flexible approach to supplier selection. According to EU diplomats, only Greece and Cyprus support France's proposal to limit suppliers, highlighting the disagreements among member states.

• More than two-thirds of the funding is planned to be directed towards military needs, making the issue of arms procurement critically important.
• The collapse of the Budapest Memorandum is tied to Ukraine's need for security guarantees.
• As of January 3, 18 national security advisors arrived in Ukraine to work on a peace plan.
• The final versions of the documents regarding security guarantees may be prepared by the end of January, which could affect further negotiations on the loan program.

Thus, the issue of financial support for Ukraine remains open, and the disagreements among EU countries regarding the loan terms may delay the implementation of the program.

This situation highlights the complexity of international relations in the context of military support for Ukraine. The different approaches of EU countries to arms procurement may impact the speed and effectiveness of the loan program's implementation, which is critically important for Ukraine amid the armed conflict. Meanwhile, the anticipation of the completion of the security guarantees documents may create new opportunities for changing the dynamics of negotiations in the future.