EU and Ukraine: Leaders Divided on Military Financing Plan, Kallas Plan Rejected. Macron Calls Summit in Paris

Il recent European Council, which ended yesterday after two days full of meetings, he highlighted deep divisions among European Union leaders over defense funding and military support for Ukraine. The plan proposed by High Representative Kaja Kallas to raccepting up to 40 billion euros in military aid has not found unanimous support of European governments. In particular, the resistance of some countries and the veto of Hungary have prevented a concrete commitment on financing.

A plan without consensus

Il Kallas's plan, which envisaged raising funds on the basis of each member state's economic capacity, was greeted with coldnessThe final conclusions of the summit were limited to a general reference to the initiative, without mentioning specific figures or concrete commitments.

A particularly critical point was the mechanism for distributing the funds, which according to the original project was to be based on the Gross National Income (GNI) of each country. This criterion met with opposition from countries such as France and Italy, which were supposed to contribute more than other countries with smaller economies.

Support for Kiev and the request for ammunition

Il Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking via video conference, urgently requested at least 5 billion euros for the purchase of artillery ammunition. The request was also supported by Kallas, who stressed the importance of providing at least 2 million shells to Kiev in the short term. However, this proposal also failed to find agreement among European leaders, leaving Ukraine without immediate guarantees of new military aid.

António Costa, President of the European Council, tried to downplay the extent of the lack of agreement, recalling that member states had already committed to providing 15 billion euros in aid and that further funding could be announced in the coming weeks. He also reiterated theEU's intention to support Ukraine also in the long term, with an eye on the country's integration into the Union.

Macron calls new summit in Paris

Faced with difficulties encountered in the European Council, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a new summit in Paris next Thursday, March 27. The aim of the meeting will be obtain an “explicit and detailed” commitment on levels of military support to Ukraine in the short term and discuss conditions for a ceasefire credible.

Macron stressed the need for to ensure tangible support to Ukraine not only for the current stage of the war, but also for the period after it. According to the French leader, it is essential for Europe to demonstrate unity and determination in its support for Kiev, in order to strengthen Ukraine's position in future peace negotiations.

The difficulties of a voluntary plan

One of the weaknesses of the Kallas plan was its voluntary nature, an attempt to circumvent Hungary's veto without resorting to a binding obligation for all member states. However, this approach made the project less effective, leaving too much room for uncertainty about the actual contributions of the various states.

Many countries have also raised doubts about the compatibility of the plan with aid already planned for Ukraine, such as the 18 billion euros from windfall profits from frozen Russian assets.. The lack of clarity on how these funds would fit with new initiatives further complicated the discussion.

Future perspectives

Despite the failure to approve the Kallas plan, Some diplomats believe that the initiative can be saved with strategic changes. The elimination of the GNI criterion as a basis for contributions could facilitate a broader agreement among member states.

In the meantime, The EU continues to seek other ways to ensure military support to Kiev, with the awareness that the war in Ukraine remains one of the most pressing issues for the stability of the continentThe Paris Summit will represent a further crucial opportunity to test Europe's ability to overcome its divisions and offer concrete help to Ukraine.