Poland will continue to insist on increasing the European Peace Fund, which finances the supply of weapons to Ukraine, despite the resistance of several EU countries.
This is reported by RMF24.
In order to increase the budget of the European Peace Fund, Poland will have to convince several countries: France, Germany, Italy and Greece, which do not support the idea. The largest countries, in particular, claim that they make the largest contribution to the fund's budget, more than 60 percent, and this, they emphasize, is burdensome for them.
Therefore, France, Germany and Italy would first like to establish the principle of spending this money, the stages of payments, as well as which part will be allocated to Ukraine, and which part will be allocated to joint missions, for example, in Africa.
In the near future, this issue will be discussed by EU ambassadors, then by foreign ministers, and finally it will be brought to the summit of EU leaders, probably only in June.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that another 200 million euros will go to Poland as part of the European Peace Fund, which will be directed to defense policy. "I also campaigned for this, and my voice was very loud that this fund should be bigger, so that it is not 3.5 billion euros, but much more," Moravetskyi said.
The European Peace Fund is a tool that helps the EU prevent conflicts, build peace and strengthen international security.
As reported, on March 20, the defense ministers of the member states of the European Union made a proposal to increase the European Peace Fund, which is used for compensation for the military equipment and ammunition transferred to Ukraine, by 3.5 billion euros.
It will be recalled that last week the Council of the EU finally approved an increase in the financial ceiling of the European Peace Fund, from which funds are allocated for the purchase of weapons for Ukraine, to 7.979 billion euros by 2027, which will ensure the possibility of covering additional financial needs.
At the beginning of February 2023, the EU estimated the joint military aid of the member states to Ukraine at 12 billion euros - both through the European Peace Fund and on a bilateral basis.