Ukraineʼs main allies in Europe intend to ask the European Union for tens of billions of euros in loans for joint weapons purchases for Ukraine, as well as to strengthen their own defense capabilities.
This is reported by Politico, citing sources.
On Tuesday, July 29, ahead of the deadline for applications for a new €150 billion arms loan program under the Security Assistance Fund for Europe, several EU countries told Politico that they were considering using the funds to help Ukraine defend itself against a full-scale Russian invasion.
The loan scheme was proposed by the European Commission in March as part of the broader ReArm Europe program — it aims to stimulate Europeʼs defense industry and reduce its long-standing military dependence on the United States.
Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Spain, Finland, Hungary and Lithuania have officially expressed interest in the loans, EU defense spokesman Thomas Rainier told reporters on Tuesday.
Others, including the Czech Republic, Latvia, Bulgaria and Greece, have said they will do so by a midnight deadline on Tuesday.
By jointly purchasing weapons under this scheme, countries can secure a lower price than if they acted independently, and then supply the weapons to Ukraine.
France is also likely to apply for loans. However, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are expected to decline, according to sources familiar with the governmentsʼ plans.
However, even countries that do not borrow can still reduce the cost of arms supplies by participating in joint procurement.
The countries are also exploring the possibility of buying weapons directly from Ukrainian companies, which is encouraged under the SAFE program. This would allow Kyiv to “increase the scale of defense production and technological integration with the EU”, a Ukrainian diplomat told Politico.
The EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius wrote on July 24 that at least 20 countries would request up to €100 billion under this scheme.
Author: Artemii Medvedok
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