Italy and Spain are promoted to the EU proposal to Ukraine this year a package of additional military aid up to EUR 40 billion restrainedafter Monday, the Foreign Ministers in Brussels did not appoint diplomats. On the contrary, the initiative of EU diplomacy chief Kaji Kallas has, according to them Strong support of North and Eastern European countries. According to Reuters, TASR reports this.
Kallas after the EU Council for Foreign Affairs said that Her proposal has “broad political support” And it is now discussing his details. TASS interpreted her statement that ministers have not yet reached the agreement in this respect. European officials claim that Ukraine is necessary to continue to support militarily At a time when the future aid is uncertain by US President Donald Trump’s administration that She ended the diplomatic isolation of Russia and pushes both sides to negotiate.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy therefore came up with a proposal that he could Kiev this year to get military assistance of at least 20 billion euros. This is the amount provided by the EU to the contested country last year. However, the total volume of military aid for 2025 could reach EUR 40 billion – Depending on the needs of Kiev. According to Reuters, the various EU attitudes to this initiative reflect the division into states that are geographically closer to Russia and have provided Ukraine more aid, and those that are further from it and helped a smaller amount in relation to their economies.
According to the German Kielsky Institute for the Global Economy (IFW) in Europe, they lead Estonia, Denmark and Lithuaniawhich, from January 2022 to December 2024, provided Ukraine aid for more than two percent of their GDP. On the contrary, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Slovenia are among the countries that have provided the least – less than half a percent of your GDP. At the end of the ranking is Hungary, According to Reuters, the EU has the most inclined to Russia.
Slovakia, represented by the Ambassador at a meeting in Brussels according to three EU diplomats, indicated that will not defend Kallas’s plan but at the same time refuses to contribute. Slovakia, together with Hungary, does not provide military assistance to Ukraine. According to European officials, they will not be able to block the proposal because the contributions would be voluntary. Foreign Ministers of Italy and Spain showed that it is too early to take a definite attitude. According to unnamed diplomats, France has also raised some doubts.
The head of Italian diplomacy Antonio Tajani explained that the proposal will still need to be discussed and taken into account by the upcoming development. In his words now Awaiting the results of Trump’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that will concern the US proposal to 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. In addition, Italy must, according to its minister, find funds to increase his own defense spending. “There are a lot of expenses to be addressed,” said.
Spanish Minister José Manuel Albares said again that Madrid this year undertakes to provide Ukraine’s military assistance of one billion euros. “We do not need to wait for Kallas to submit a proposal to show that Kiev can rely on our support,” Albares added. According to him, her initiative is not yet decided.
