European Union leaders have rejected a plan to mobilise €5 billion in ammunition rounds for Ukraine, dealing a blow to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request for immediate military aid. The proposal, put forward by High Representative Kaja Kallas, aimed to raise up to €40 billion in fresh military support for Ukraine but failed to gain sufficient political traction.
The summit’s conclusions dedicated to Ukraine only made a passing reference to the plan, without mentioning any specific financial figures or objectives. This has raised concerns about how the EU will provide effective support to Ukraine in the short term.
Despite Kallas’ insistence that €5 billion was a realistic and necessary goal, leaders ultimately failed to back her proposal. Hungary’s veto played a significant role in killing the initiative, with other countries citing concerns over the proposed distribution method based on gross national income (GNI).
The EU’s decision to reject the plan has left many wondering about the feasibility of providing effective military aid to Ukraine without a more concrete commitment from member states. However, some diplomats believe that tweaks to the proposal, such as removing the GNI indicator, could salvage the initiative in the future.
Source: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/20/thousands-rally-in-istanbul-for-second-night-to-protest-against-mayor-imamoglus-arrest