EU plans 18 billion Euros for Ukraine in 2023
The European Union says it will give Ukraine 18 billion euros in 2023 as the country fights back Russia’s invading troops.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the disclosure after EU leaders discussed supporting Ukraine during the second day of the summit in Brussels.
Von der Leyen told a news conference the EU would finance 1.5 billion euros per month of that, with the rest expected to come from the United States and international institutions.
“That will give a total of 18 billion for the next year – an amount Ukraine can count on and where there is a stable and reliable, predictable flow of income,” she said.
She said that the EU has so far given Ukraine 19 billion euros this year but that the summit looked at 2023.
“It is very important for Ukraine to have a predictable and stable flow of income,” she said, adding that Kyiv estimated its monthly needs at 3-4 billion euros “for the basics”.
Also Read: EU Provides Anti-radiation Tablets to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the EU leaders via a video link the day earlier, saying Russian missiles and Iranian drones have damaged a third of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter approaches.
“Russia also provokes a new wave of migration of Ukrainians to EU countries,” Zelenskiy said.
“Russian terror against our energy facilities is aimed at creating as many problems as possible with electricity and heat for Ukraine this fall and winter so that as many Ukrainians as possible move to your countries.”
Von der Leyen said the EU was also looking at how to help Ukraine re-establish water, power and electricity supplies.
The bloc has already imposed limited sanctions on Iran over that, but EU member states are divided over slapping any more sanctions on Russia now.
Zelenskiy urged the West to warn Russia not to blow up a huge dam that could flood large areas of southern Ukraine, and he appealed for more aid pledges to be made at an international conference in Berlin next Tuesday dedicated to Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The summit’s chairman, European Council President Charles Michel, said the EU was looking at using Russian assets frozen under sanctions against Moscow towards rebuilding Ukraine.
Zainab Sa’id
