BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders have begun discussions on the allocation of funds from their shared budget for the next four years, covering various priorities such as supporting Ukraine, enhancing military capabilities, and managing migration. The decision on a revision of the bloc’s 2021-27 budget, which is worth 1.1 trillion euros ($1.2 trln), is scheduled to be made in December. The budget is already strained due to emergency spending during the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The European Commission has proposed that member states contribute additional funds to provide 50 billion euros for Ukraine and allocate another 15 billion euros for migration purposes. However, unanimity is required for budgetary decisions, and diverging opinions were evident during the summit where the bloc’s 27 national leaders congregated in Brussels.
“What is on the table today is unacceptable for us,” stated Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, expressing dissatisfaction with the proposed funding approach for Ukraine. He called on the European Commission and other institutions to examine their own unused funds instead of requesting larger contributions from member states.
On the eastern side of the bloc, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas emphasized the need for increased joint spending on improving EU defense capabilities, in addition to supporting Ukraine. Lithuania expressed disagreement with the proposed 50 billion euros for Ukraine, deeming it insufficient.
In the southern region, Greece appealed for more financial support for migration-related initiatives. The bloc aims to strengthen its external borders and reduce unauthorized arrivals from the Middle East and Africa. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated, “Greece is a country of first reception and needs more European support to deal with the immigration problem.”
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known for his strong anti-immigration stance, refuted the idea of providing funds for “migration, integration policy, and to the Ukrainians.” Orban stated that Hungary would not support additional aid for Ukraine unless a well-justified proposal was presented.
Orban’s comments coincide with his government’s effort to access billions in EU aid designated for Hungary, as it has been blocked by the European Commission due to concerns over the rule of law.
Other conflicting priorities include the demand from Ireland’s Leo Varadkar to invest funds in improving EU competitiveness. The source of these funds will be subject to significant debate, according to Varadkar.
Diplomats revealed that countries affected by natural disasters during the summer are seeking assistance in this area, while Austria has led efforts to allocate more funds to the Western Balkans.
Olaf Scholz, the leader of Germany, the main contributor to the EU budget, acknowledged that negotiations were just beginning, stating that the positions of member states are not yet aligned. ($1 = 0.9493 euros)
(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, Marine Strauss, Krisztina Than, Tassilo Hummel, Rene Maltezou, Jan Strupczewski, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
