EU leaders mull billions for next Ukraine aid package

European Union leaders were at odds on Friday regarding additional financial aid for war-torn Ukraine worth billions of euros, ahead of consultations at a summit in Dublin.

The European Commission is hopeful that EU leaders can agree by the end of the year to provide Kiev with a further €45 billion ($49.7 billion) for 2027.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has linked any agreement on new aid for Ukraine to the EU's next multiannual budget, on which an agreement is also to be reached by the end of the year.

Some countries, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia, have pushed back against linking the two issues. Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico even spoke of blackmail by Merz.

Friday's host, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, said he had "some concerns" about linking the two agreements.

However, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and his Latvian counterpart Andris Kulbergs praised Merz's push.

"I liked Friedrich Merz's message that helping Ukraine is also part of our core security and our core financing," Michal said in Dublin.

All of Europe has to be committed, said Kulbergs.

The EU has so far approved €90 billion for Ukraine for the years 2026 and 2027.

In October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country's budget is €70 billion short for the next year. Previously, the EU had provided for around two-thirds of Kiev's financial needs.