Germany Threatens to Block Next EU Budget without Ukraine Funding Deal: Report
- On November 9, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sent a letter to European Council President António Costa conditioning Berlin's support for the 2028–2034 EU budget on all 27 member states collectively financing Ukraine's projected €70 billion 2027 shortfall.
- Mounting funding needs prompted the demand, as Ukraine faces a €70 billion shortfall in 2027 while Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic secured exemptions from last year's €90 billion loan that Merz now seeks to prevent.
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico denounced the linkage as a "textbook case of blackmail," while Czech officials and Hungary resisted further contributions, citing high deficit levels and cohesion fund priorities.
- Merz insisted supporting Ukraine is "a shared European task, not a task for individual member states," but Poland's deputy minister Ignacy Niemczycki warned that binding these files could "backfire" and make a deal "even more difficult."
- Leaders will test this leverage at an informal Dublin summit on Thursday, ahead of the November 26–27 budget meeting; because the seven-year budget requires unanimity, Merz's threat to withhold support creates a critical impasse.
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299 Articles
Prime Minister Janez Janša also rejects linking the multi-year budget to future financing of Ukraine.
Der Kanzler besteht beim EU-Gipfel darauf, dass alle Mitgliedstaaten zur Finanzierung der Ukraine beitragen sollen – und er will für Deutschland einen Platz
According to the German chancellor Friedrich Merz, both should be linked together. Several states are opposed and do not want to participate in the support for Kyyiv.
The chancellor puts pressure on four EU countries to make a "fair contribution" in Ukraine aid. They defend themselves. Also friendly states have doubts about Merz.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz breaks a dispute over Ukraine aid and the EU budget to be discussed at tomorrow's summit in Dublin. Resistance came as expected from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. But why Budapest is crossing the border in the post-Orban era seems unexpected. Or not ...
The financing of Ukraine should be a common task for all EU countries.
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