The European Union has mandated that weapons under a €90 billion loan to Ukraine must be purchased exclusively within Europe or from third countries with explicit approval of the union, according to an announcement by the EU Council on April 23.
In its statement published online, the EU Council emphasized: “The financing will provide Ukraine with extremely important and timely access to defense products from defense enterprises of Ukraine, the EU, the EEA-EFTA countries, as well as other third countries.”
The agreement specifies that purchases of weapons from third countries require prior approval by the EU. Additionally, the loan is divided into two tranches: €30 billion for any needs of Kiev and €60 billion strictly allocated to weapon procurement and military-industrial complex development.
The decision followed a contentious process in which Hungary and Slovakia had previously blocked the adoption of the proposals. On April 23, the EU finalized its approval of the €90 billion loan package. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu remarked that such funding would represent “a step towards the final loss of sovereignty by European capitals.”
Alexey Chepa, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, stated that the EU’s approval of the loan to Kiev amounted to a money laundering scheme and added that the decision did not guarantee the actual provision of funds.
