EU, US move on military aid to Ukraine

EU member states are set to close a deal on a €5 billion Ukrainian military aid fund, as the United States on Tuesday (12 March) signed off a $300 million stop-gap military aid package for Kyiv.

EU member states have been negotiating to reform the European Peace Facility (EPF) for months, which gives EU members refunds for sending weaponry to third countries.

Last year, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell proposed creating a new scheme inside the EPF specifically for aid to Kyiv—the Ukraine Assistance Fund—with a budget of up to €5 billion per year for the next four years. However, since then, EU member states have been locked in a debate over reform and modalities for future aid.

EU diplomats said France had insisted on a strong “buy European” clause for arms eligible for refunds, while Germany demanded bilateral aid be taken into account in determining the size of countries’ contributions to the fund.

On Tuesday, several EU diplomats told Euractiv that a compromise has now been found that allowed some flexibility on “buy European” rules and would consider bilateral aid while not allowing countries to completely offset such aid against their contributions to the fund.

They added that the deal looked set to be approved by EU ambassadors at their meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (13 March), barring any last-minute complications.

EU diplomats said an agreement on the modalities should allow EU member states to also agree on a first injection of €5 billion, but they cautioned that the deal might take more time.

EU leaders at their summit next week are expected to “welcome the [adoption of the] Council Decision regarding a Ukraine Assistance Fund which ensures the continuation of military support for Ukraine under the European Peace Facility”, according to early draft conclusions seen by Euractiv.

According to EU calculations, the EPF has already been used to reimburse military aid for Ukraine, which is worth €6.1 billion.

US to send $300 million

The likely EU agreement comes as a $60 billion military aid package is being held up by the US Congress at a critical time for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia.

The White House has been scrambling to find ways to send more military assistance, given the situation on the battlefield and the resistance to the funding from US Republican hardliners.

Washington will send a new stop-gap military aid package for Ukraine worth $300 million, US President Joe Biden’s administration said on Tuesday. The funds come from recent savings from army contracts that have allowed the US to scrape together the additional assistance.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced on Tuesday ahead of Joe Biden’s meeting with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who were expected to press Biden to do more to contain the threat posed by Moscow.

The White House said the additional US funding would be used for artillery rounds and munitions for High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

“This ammunition will keep Ukraine’s guns firing for a period, but only a short period,” Sullivan told reporters in Washington, adding it may only be helpful to Ukraine for a couple of weeks.

“It is nowhere near enough to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs, and it will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition,” Sullivan said.

Details of the new weapons package were first reported by Reuters.

Using the funds that have been returned to replenish stocks opens a narrow window to allow more aid to be sent from existing stocks as the Biden administration waits for supplemental funding to be passed by US lawmakers.

US Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a core ally of former US President Donald Trump, has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine.

The measure has passed the Democratic-run Senate, and both Republicans and Democrats in the House say it would pass if the chamber’s Republican leaders allowed a vote.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday Kyiv had improved its strategic position despite shortages of weaponry but suggested the situation could change again if new supplies were not arriving.

Earlier last month, Zelenskyy warned Russia would be preparing a new offensive against Ukraine by May latest.

[Edited by Alice Taylor]

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