The final agreement on the package of macro-financial assistance for Ukraine from the EU for 18 billion euros will be one of the key issues of the leaders' summit, as will the discussion of the ninth package of sanctions against Russia for the war.
As European Truth reports, French President Emmanuel Macron said this in a media comment before the leaders' meeting.
"We plan to unblock macroeconomic aid for 18 billion euros, which is an important point to reaffirm our support, and we will also continue to discuss the ninth package of sanctions," Macron said.
We will remind you that on November 9, the European Commission proposed an unprecedented support package for Ukraine in the amount of up to 18 billion euros for 2023. This assistance will be provided in the form of soft loans, which will be paid in regular installments starting from January 2023.
Approval of this proposal is accompanied by difficulties. The Hungarian veto on joint EU guarantees was overcome at the beginning of the week - Budapest made a concession in exchange for unfreezing part of the funds, the payment of which is delayed by Brussels due to problems with the rule of law in Hungary.
At the same time, the EU prepared an additional mechanism that would make it possible to provide these funds to Ukraine even if Hungary does not change its position. On December 14, the European Parliament approved the change proposed by the EU Council, which allows 26 member states to act as loan guarantors as an alternative to the EU budget.
Now it has become unofficially known that Poland on Wednesday refused to support the package deal, which includes 18 billion macrofins for Ukraine, due to concerns about a separate plan for the minimum corporate tax rate.