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EU Divided Over Proposal to Double Military Aid for Ukraine

Italy and Spain hesitate to back the €40 billion initiative as northern and eastern EU nations push for increased defense spending.

Rescuers work at the site of a building destroyed during a Russian air strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kherson, Ukraine March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ivan Antypenko/File Photo
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani gestures on the day of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in La Malbaie, Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger/File Photo
Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno attends a European Union Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman
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Overview

  • The EU is considering a proposal to double military aid for Ukraine to €40 billion in 2025, following €20 billion in aid last year.
  • Italy and Spain, two of the bloc's largest economies, have expressed reservations, citing financial constraints and the need for further discussions.
  • Northern and eastern European nations, including Lithuania and Estonia, strongly support the plan, emphasizing the need for collective defense against Russia.
  • Hungary and Slovakia, which do not provide military aid to Ukraine, have stated they will not contribute but cannot block the proposal due to its voluntary nature.
  • Uncertainty over U.S. support for Ukraine under President Trump has heightened pressure on the EU to bolster its own defense commitments.