The European Union will help Ukraine close the financial gap in the budget in 2025

The European Union has already provided Ukraine with almost €130 billion in financial assistance. In cooperation with the G7, this will help ensure Ukraineʼs economic and financial stability until the end of 2025.

This was stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the final press conference after the European Council summit in Brussels, Babelʼs correspondent reports.

According to von der Leyen, 2025 will be crucial as Russian leader Vladimir Putin redoubles efforts to succeed in the war in Ukraine.

"Therefore, supporting Ukraine is now both a moral and a strategic imperative for us. We must make sure that Ukraine wins," the head of the European Commission noted.

Von der Leyen also noted that negotiations on Ukraineʼs accession to the EU could open as early as early next year under the first cluster, "Fundamentals," if Ukraine continues to "perform well". Some other clusters could open during the same year.

European Council President Antonio Costa said that only Ukraine can determine what peace means for it and when peace negotiations can begin.

"The European Union is united in its support for Ukraine on the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Not just any peace, not capitulation. Only Ukraine can legitimately define what peace means, as well as how and when the conditions for negotiations will be met. Now is the time to strengthen Ukraine for all scenarios," he noted.

He noted that the EU is ready to do whatever is necessary, and as much as it takes, for Ukraine to take a strong position.

"Russiaʼs aggressive war is not just a war on European territory. It is a war against the international community, as Russia violates the universal fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, the right to self-determination," Costa noted.

• Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, all of Ukraine’s own state budget revenues have been used to finance defense; such expenditures account for approximately half of the budget. Ukraine finances all of its civilian state budget expenditures with foreign financial assistance — the need for such external financing in 2025 is over $38 billion.

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