Slovak PM criticises Germany's Merz over threat to block EU budget without funding for Ukraine – Reuters

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of "blackmail" after Berlin demanded that negotiations on the European Union's next seven-year budget be tied to a commitment by all EU member states to support Ukraine.

Source: Reuters, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Merz made Germany's support for the EU's 2028-2034 budget conditional on all member states agreeing to contribute to funding Ukraine, which faces a €70 billion shortfall in 2027. He set out the condition in a letter to European Council President António Costa that several media outlets had already seen.

Fico commented on the issue on 10 November.

"We must respond to blackmail. We have the same veto as ​the German federal chancellor," he said.

Background:

• Last December, EU leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan. However, due to the scale of Russian aggression, Kyiv has said that it will need an additional €70 billion in funding next year. The funding gap is also recognised by Ukraine's allies.
• The EU has promised to cover two-thirds of this amount, or about €45 billion. The European Commission is working on options to fulfil this pledge, specifically considering the possibility of issuing additional joint debt obligations. Brussels hopes that leaders can agree on a deal by the end of the year.
• However, four EU countries – Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Czechia – have signalled that they will not contribute to further financial assistance for Kyiv. Last year, Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia obtained an exemption from contributing to the interest payments on the €90 billion loan.
• At the leaders' summit on 15-16 October, the European Council instructed the European Commission to prepare proposals for covering the €70 billion shortfall in Ukraine's budget for 2027.

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