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Orban to block Ukraine’s funding every year in order to extract concessions from Brussels. Hungary presented this proposal during a meeting of 27 EU budget experts on January 5 and sent a corresponding document to the Council of the EU. According to the Hungarian proposal, the EU will provide Ukraine with €12.5B in grants and loans annually, amounting to €50B over four years. "The seven-year EU budget is a multi-year structure, and we cannot agree on it from year to year," said one of the diplomats. The issue of financing Ukraine from the EU is on the agenda of the meeting of the ambassadors of the EU member states, scheduled for January 10.
Even without unanimous agreement, the EC is working on a solution to provide €50B to Ukraine. EC President Ursula von der Leyen once again called for the speedy approval of the €50B, four-year Ukraine Facility aid plan within the medium-term review of the EU budget. The head of the European Commission emphasized that the Ukraine Facility is a central element of the revision of the EU's multi-year budget, and this revision must be completed during the Belgian presidency of the European Council so that the EU can continue to implement other political priorities. "The Commission will come to the EC with operational decisions to ensure we can agree on the Ukraine Facility program. Then Belgium will face the key task of building political agreement on the program in order for it to move through the EU Council and the European Parliament as soon as possible," she added. In response to a clarifying question, von der Leyen refused to reveal the essence of "operational decisions” but hinted that these are necessary in the event of a lack unanimity among EU members on approving the Ukraine Facility.
Lithuania pledges almost $220 million in 3-year support for Ukraine. "In January, we will again send ammunition, generators, detonation systems, and in February - M-577 armored personnel carriers," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced during the press conference.
Estonia pledges $1.3bn in long-term support for Kyiv as Zelensky tours Baltics. Estonian President Alar Karis pledged to allocate 1.2bn euros ($1.3 billion) for Kyiv until the year 2027, a major commitment from a country of 1.3 million people, after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Estonia as part of his Baltic trip.
Denmark has provided $3B in military aid to Ukraine and will invest $21M in the reconstruction of Mykolaiv. This includes projects in the agricultural sector to demine agricultural lands, provide cogeneration plants, and reconstruct the Mykolaiv State Agrarian University’s dormitory.
Switzerland plans to allocate over $1.7bn for Ukraine's recovery. Switzerland plans to allocate 1.5bn Swiss francs ($1.75 billion) for Ukraine's recovery efforts between 2025 and 2028 under an international cooperation strategy, ArmyInform reported on Jan. 15, citing Swiss President Viola Amherd.
Belgium will provide €611M in military aid to Ukraine and insists on a collective decision by Western countries on the confiscation of Russian assets. “Western governments should collectively decide to confiscate frozen Russian assets, most of which are stored in the Brussels settlement center Euroclear,” said the Belgian ambassador to the US, Jean-Arthur Regibeau.
The US will provide Greece with $200M in aid in exchange for weapons for Ukraine. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sent a letter to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakis Mitsotakis with a proposal that Greece hands over or sells weapons to Ukraine in exchange for $200M in aid from Washington. The US proposes the provision of two C-130H aircraft, 10 P-3 jet engines, and 60 Bradley armored vehicles to Greece under the EDA's expedited procedure. Once Congress approves, Athens could receive up to 40 new F-35 jets, three Protector-class patrol boats, and more. The government will also submit a
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