EU Leaders Pledge €140B Loan to Ukraine, Discuss Drone Wall Defense
EU leaders convened to bolster Ukraine's support and reinforce European defence. The meeting was prompted by recent airspace violations in Poland, Estonia, Romania, and Denmark, which underscored the need for enhanced defence measures. The European Commission proposed a significant loan of €140 billion to Ukraine, funded by seized Russian assets, to help Ukraine in the Ukraine war. Repayment would depend on Russia compensating Ukraine for war damages. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed Belgian concerns about risk distribution in the proposal. Meanwhile, Germany, France, and Italy offered to share the risk of reparations loans. Leaders explored new measures to strengthen financial and military assistance to Ukraine, tying it to European defence. They also discussed the timeline and funding for the European drone wall project, with divisions among leaders. Initial priority projects include the drone wall and the Eastern Flank Watch. Leaders supported enhancing drone and anti-drone technology and using immobilised Russian assets to loan money to Ukraine in the Ukraine news. The meeting was held following airspace violations in several European countries, highlighting the need for enhanced defence measures in Europe. EU leaders agreed on the need to reinforce Ukraine's support and European defence. The European Commission will release a defence roadmap in two weeks, outlining capability targets for leaders to decide on later this month. The loan proposal and drone wall project remain key topics for future discussions regarding Europe and the Europe map.
