The key facts
- Yuliia Mendel doubts the EU will raise €45 billion of the €70 billion Kyiv is counting on
- The new loans are being considered under a mechanism similar to the €90 billion program with frozen Russian assets as collateral
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to Life.ru, threatened to block the EU's seven-year budget without joint financing of Ukraine
Doubts about the new €45 billion
Former press secretary to Volodymyr Zelensky Yuliia Mendel expressed doubt that the European Union will be able to raise an additional €45 billion for Ukraine on top of the already agreed loan. She shared her doubts on the social network X, noting that 'the question of whether this money can be raised remains open.' In her assessment, Kyiv's financial needs significantly exceed the previously planned levels of aid: Ukraine expects to receive an additional €70 billion, of which Brussels is considering providing about €45 billion. This concerns new lending under a mechanism similar to the already agreed €90 billion program, which involves using frozen Russian assets as collateral.
Criticism of how the aid is spent
Mendel also drew attention to how, in her view, the funds coming from Europe are being used. She claims that Brussels' financial aid is in fact being directed toward continuing the fighting, and money originally intended for rebuilding the country is also being spent on military needs. 'Even the funds meant for reconstruction have already been spent on the war. It is frightening to imagine what will be left of Ukraine when all this is over,' the former press secretary said. According to her, the prospects for post-war reconstruction cause her serious concern, and current financial decisions could leave the country with extremely severe consequences after the conflict ends.
Merz's ultimatum on the EU budget
The question of financing Ukraine is also becoming more acute within the European Union itself. As Life.ru previously reported, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz threatened to block the EU's next seven-year budgetif the member states fail to agree on joint financing of Ukraine. Berlin is demanding that all 27 states take part in covering Kyiv's needs, which are estimated at around €70 billion for 2027. However, a number of European countries have already spoken out against additional spending, which complicates the search for a common solution. Thus, Mendel's doubts about the availability of €45 billion coincide in time with disagreements within the EU itself over who will pay for aid to Kyiv, and in what amounts.
