Olivier Hoslet / EPA
Donald Tusk at the European Council
Decisive meeting of the European Council: “We will not leave here without a solution”, assured António Costa.
European Union leaders (UE), today meeting in Brussels, they will discuss financial support for Ukraine in 2026 and 2027, deciding whether to approve a reparations loan based on fixed Russian assets, rejected by Belgium.
In one of most important meetings of the European Councilgiven the urgency to secure funds for Ukraine for the next two years, the heads of Government and State of the 27 EU members will try to reach a political agreement on one of the options on the table: a reparations loan based on Russian assets frozen in the community space (the option that requires more support, a qualified majority and less budgetary effort, despite Belgian opposition) or a joint debt issuance (which is not supported by everyone and requires unanimity).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy participates in Brussels at the start of the high-level meeting.
“We will not leave the European Council without having found a solution for financing Ukraine over the next two years”, commented Ursula von der LeyenPresident of the European Commission.
Antonio Costa he reinforced: the meeting will only end with a decision on financing for Ukraine for the next two years and defended the proposal to use Russian resources immobilized in EU countries.
“It will be a Council [Europeu] hard […]I can assure you that we will not leave without a decision” on financing for Ukraine, said the president of the European Council, at the entrance to the last meeting of the European Council in 2025.
The former Prime Minister of Portugal insisted that it is necessary to “secure Ukraine’s financing needs in 2026 and 2027” and pointed to the European Commission’s proposal — to use Russian assets frozen in EU countries — as the most credible solution to do so.
Donald Tusk follows the same speech: giving money to Ukraine is a priority. “Now we have a simple choice: either money today, or blood tomorrow“, stated the Prime Minister of Poland, also before joining the meeting.
Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, reinforced in Brussels that he is against increased financial aid for Ukraine: “Giving money means war”.
And he added that confiscating Russia’s money would be synonymous with “marching towards war”.
The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, said that “the strength from Europe and others solidarity European are put to the test” at the European summit in Brussels.
“Diria is one of the Councils [Europeus] more decisive than those that have taken place in recent years. I believe it is true to say that the strength of Europe and European solidarity are on test today and, from our point of view, Europe cannot, must not fail and our conviction is that the meeting will be tough, it will be intense, but it is possible for us to reach an understanding”, said Luís Montenegro, upon arrival in Brussels.
