Dispute over the EU financial framework: Prague versus Merz: Budget must not depend on aid to Ukraine

Prague. In the dispute over EU aid for Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, among others, are on a collision course with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. An agreement on the future financing of Ukraine should not be a prerequisite for the adoption of the next long-term EU budget plan, demanded Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis in a letter to the President of the European Council, António Costa. At the same time, he admitted that the country attacked by Russia needed “reliable and sustainable support”.

Merz had called for more commitment from all EU member states to Ukraine. “This is a common European task, not a task for individual member states,” said Merz. “That’s why the question of how we can finance Ukraine in the next few years if necessary naturally belongs in the context of these budget negotiations.”

The CDU politician had previously emphasized in a letter to Costa that an agreement on Ukraine financing with the participation of all member states was a fundamental prerequisite for discussing further matters, especially those with financial implications.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary had ensured that they did not have to participate in the financial obligations of a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine. Babis reacted to the new demands from Berlin on Tuesday on the sidelines of a meeting with his colleague Robert Fico in Bratislava: Merz had probably forgotten that up to 100 billion euros were also planned for Ukraine in the future European budget.

Fico was even harsher: "What the Chancellor is doing is typical blackmail. I reject that." He reiterated his position that there was “no military solution” to the Ukraine war. He should not be asked to sign a billion-dollar gift “that will lead to nothing other than 50,000 deaths and serious injuries every month.” Fico had previously criticized that it would be “a road to hell” to link the issue of aid to Ukraine with the issue of the EU cohesion funds.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed that his country would not participate in further aid to Ukraine, but did not want to block a corresponding decision in Brussels. Radev justified this stance with a budget deficit case against Bulgaria. “Bulgaria is in no way blocking the common decisions of the Union and the will of other states to help - whatever they can.”