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Shkruar nga PamfletiThe two-year deal will cover most of Ukraine's needs, but will be secured by EU borrowing rather than Russian assets.
The European Union has reached an agreement to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan after European leaders failed to reach a consensus on the use of frozen Russian assets.
The bloc last week agreed to hold 210 billion euros of Moscow's assets, but in the final decision it withdrew.
The decision was made after more than a day of intense negotiations at the summit held in Brussels.
The agreement aims to cover Ukraine's military and economic needs for the next two years. European Council President Antonio Costa announced the decision via social media. "We committed and we delivered," he wrote.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Russia's frozen assets in Europe will be used to repay the loan to Ukraine if Russia does not voluntarily decide to do so when the war in Ukraine ends.
"Frozen Russian assets will remain frozen until Russia pays reparations to Ukraine," he said.
"Ukraine should repay the loan only after Russia pays reparations. And we make it very clear: If Russia does not pay reparations, we will use, in full accordance with international law, frozen Russian assets to repay the loan."
"I assume that the money will be available in the second half of January at the latest," the German chancellor said when asked when the multi-billion euro loan would be made available to Kiev. The money will keep the country afloat for the next two years, Merz said, adding that the EU leaders' agreement is "good news for Ukraine and bad news for Russia."
The loan will be guaranteed by the EU's common budget, through borrowing on the markets, and not by confiscating or directly using Russian funds.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had insisted that the EU use some 200 billion euros in frozen Russian assets, most of which are in Belgium. However, Belgium demanded strong guarantees about sharing legal and financial responsibility in the event of consequences, a demand that was deemed unacceptable by some other member states.
In a parallel development, French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be beneficial for Europe to re-engage in dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “It is in our interest, as Europeans and as Ukrainians, to find the right framework to restart this discussion,” Macron said, adding that such a step could happen in the coming weeks.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stressed that the decision on the loan avoided chaos and division within the EU. “We stayed united,” he said early Friday. According to Ukrainian authorities, the country risks running out of funds in the coming months. Zelensky warned that without a financial injection by spring, Ukraine would be forced to reduce the production of drones.
EU estimates show that Ukraine needs an additional 135 billion euros to keep the state functioning over the next two years, with a liquidity crisis expected to begin in April. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had supported the plan to use Russian assets, said the final decision on the loan sends a clear signal to Moscow.
Russia had warned the EU not to touch its funds, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that Europe must “rise to the occasion.” The agreement offers Kiev a vital line of support at a time when international diplomacy has intensified as US President Donald Trump pushes for a swift deal to end the war.
According to a White House official, US and Russian officials are expected to meet this weekend in Miami for further talks on a peace plan. It is believed that the Kremlin's envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, will meet with Trump's emissaries, Steve Uitkoff and Jared Kushner.
Meanwhile, Zelensky announced that Ukrainian and American delegations will hold new talks on Friday and Saturday in the United States. He stressed that he is seeking clarity from Washington on security guarantees to prevent a possible future aggression by Russia.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine has relied heavily on financial and military assistance from the EU, the US and other Western allies. The debate over frozen Russian assets has been ongoing, due to legal risks. The EU's recent decision to finance Ukraine through borrowing aims to preserve the unity of the European bloc, while ensuring continued support for Kiev at a critical moment in the war.
Bote hajdutesh, kush te rrjepe e te zhvase nga djersa e gjaku u popujve. Eurokurva si perhere kurve do mbetet, as mish as peshk. Natyrish edhe pjellat e saj si ajo qe i krijoi jane. Si tja bejme ne te vegjelit qe tere historine tone kemi qene te sunduar e perdhunuar. Po vjen koha qe te ballancohen peshat. Anglezet kane nje fjale te urte "What goes around comes around". Cfare shkon rreth e qark vjen rreth e qark. Dmth si bumerangu qe e hedh qe ta presesh te te vije ne dore te godet pas shpine e te hyn edhe ne bythe.