Berlin’s stance has prompted reactions from several European countries, which oppose involvement in new financial aid packages for Kiev. Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, named Merz’s pressure a typical resort, claiming that his country would not submit to this stance.
Even Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babıh expressed reservations to German demand, questioning the reason for pressure on states that do not want to participate in Ukraine’s financing.
In a letter to European Council President Antónnio Costa, Merz has demanded that the issue be addressed at the upcoming European summit in Dublin.
According to him, support for Ukraine represents strategic interest for all of Europe, while financial responsibilities should be more equally shared among member states.
The clash comes at a time when the European Union has approved a 90 billion-euro loan to Ukraine for the period 2026,2027. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodyyr Zelensky has also demanded 70 billion euros to cover the country’s budget deficit.
The EU has pledged to provide 45 billion euros, while the rest are expected to be covered by other international partners, including the UK and Canada.
Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have voiced their opposition to participation in the new round of funding.
The clash highlights deep differences within the European Union regarding financial support for Ukraine and the division of economic burden among member states. If no compromise is reached, disputes could complicate negotiations on the future multi-year EU budget.
Source Layer: RTKLive