EU Backs €70B Request as Fico Rebuffs New Loan

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that EU leaders expressed broad understanding and support for Ukraine’s request for an additional €70 billion ($79 billion) in financial assistance for 2027 during the European Council summit in Brussels. In contrast, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that Slovakia and Hungary, led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, will refuse to back a prospective EU loan package, arguing that linking Ukraine aid to the EU budget is dangerous.