EU ambassadors agree on €3.5 bln boost to military fund for Ukraine
The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the EU Member States (Coreper II) has approved the increase of military funding for Ukraine.
The €3.5 billion batch will be directed to the European Peace Fund (EPF), the Swedish Presidency reports on Twitter.
Today, the EU Ambassadors approved an additional €3,5 billion (2018 prices) to the European Peace Facility. This decision reaffirms the EU's commitment to supporting its partners in the field of security and defence.
Previously, in May, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed adding 3.5 billion euros to the fund. EU's national governments agreed last December that "in case of need", such an increase could be justified.
The fund, established in 2021, was conceived for the EU to help developing countries buy military equipment. But the 27-member union quickly decided to use it also to get weapons to Ukraine after Russia's invasion in February last year.
The fund is separate from the EU's budget, which is not allowed to finance military operations. The fund allows EU countries that supply weapons and ammunition to Ukraine to claim back a portion of the cost. EU countries contribute to the fund according to the size of their economies.
