According to German journalists, official Paris and Rome stood in the way of the European Union when agreeing on a multi-billion dollar military support package for Ukraine.
Points of attention
- The skepticism from Paris and Rome is fueled by concerns over national debt and aspirations to lead negotiations with the US, conflicting with the proposed aid package by Kai Kallas.
- While Hungary and Slovakia's opposition is noted, the approval of the aid package is expected from willing member states, signaling a potential resolution despite dissenting voices.
Opinions in the European Union are divided again
The German publication Spiegel learned from its insiders in diplomatic circles about the difficulties within the bloc, which arose due to skepticism from the Maloney and Macron teams.
As it turned out, representatives of France and Italy do not believe that EU members can provide such large-scale funding for Ukraine.
One of the main reasons for their concern right now is the large national debt.
In addition, Italian and French leaders Giorgi Maloni and Emmanuel Macron are seeking to play a leading role in negotiations with the US on behalf of the European Union, while the proposal for a new package — which came from top EU diplomat Kai Kallas — contradicts this ambition, the publication notes.
In addition, it is noted that Hungary and Slovakia opposed the approval of the aid package for Ukraine.
According to anonymous sources, their opposition "plays a secondary role" as the package is likely to be adopted on behalf of willing member states, not the entire EU.
