"Now we have a simple choice. Money today or blood tomorrow. And I'm not just talking about Ukraine. I'm talking about the EU. And this is a decision that rests with us alone. I think all European leaders must finally seize this opportunity," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said upon his arrival at the EU leaders' summit.
At the summit, the 27 leaders will also address the issue of the use of immobilized Russian assets. "The European Council calls on the European Parliament to urgently adopt the instruments available under the Reparation Loans," the text states. According to several European sources, this is a preliminary text, which the leaders will have to greenlight, and it is expected that unanimity will not be reached on the use of the assets.
"The Commission has presented several options. We have worked very well, especially on one of them, which enjoys broad support in the European Council. We will never leave this Council without a final decision to secure Ukraine's financing needs for 2026 and 2027," said European Council President Antonio Costa.
There are "various ways to get" the funding Ukraine needs, but the proposal on reparation loans is preferable because it makes "Russia understand that it is guilty," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference in Brussels.
Regarding the fact that some countries, besides Belgium, are skeptical about approving the proposal, Zelensky said that some are skeptical "for internal political reasons" and others because they are "against Ukraine, whatever it does, let's say out of political superstition."
(Unioneonline)
