President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky
Viktor Kovalchuk | Getty Images
BRUSSELS — European leaders are preparing for a difficult two-day meeting in which aid for Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda, but internal divisions threaten to jeopardize any serious action against Kiev.
The talks come at a critical time for Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky traveling around the world seeking further support in the fight against Russian aggression. He started the week in Argentina, then traveled to the United States, arriving in Norway on Wednesday.
Throughout his visit, he delivered the message that “cutting aid to Ukraine is a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
“We have to take a decision,” European Council President Charles Michel, who is chairing the summit, told CNBC on Tuesday.
“It is our duty to ensure that by supporting Ukraine we protect the interests of the European Union.”
what is the problem
Around 50 billion euros ($54.43 billion) is being considered. The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, proposed in June to transfer this amount to Ukraine between 2024 and 2027, but Hungary, whose prime minister met directly with President Vladimir Putin in October, objected. The remittance is being blocked.
EU leaders will also discuss whether to start formal negotiations with Ukraine on its future membership in the EU. Hungary again expressed concern. A few other EU member states, such as Italy, have also raised issues surrounding EU enlargement.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishina told CNBC on Tuesday that the start of formal negotiations would be a “huge guarantee of Ukraine’s sustainability.”
“We need these messages to continue mobilizing,” she added.
Almost two years have passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Western support for Kiev has remained flat. New aid pledged to Ukraine from August to October fell by nearly 90% compared to the same period in 2022, the data shows. Kiel Institute showed last week.
“Ukraine is now increasingly dependent on a core group of donors, including the United States, Germany, and the Nordic and Eastern European countries, who continue to pledge financial aid and critical weapons,” the institute said.
The recent war between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel has also diverted attention from Kiev, while inflationary pressures have limited Western governments’ ability to provide additional aid. At the same time, Russia maintains its superiority in terms of military power.
Russian sweet spot
“Russia will continue to have a significant advantage in terms of availability of military equipment, munitions and human resources until at least the first half of 2024,” said Andrius Tursa, Central and Eastern Europe advisor at consulting firm Teneo. Probably.”
“Russia, which has mobilized its economy for the war, is rapidly increasing its military supplies in addition to supplies from North Korea and Iran. To compensate for this, military conscription continues.
Recent surveys show that the majority of Russians still support President Putin’s actions in Ukraine, although approval ratings are gradually declining.according to poll A survey conducted by the Levada Center and published earlier this month found that 74% of those surveyed fully or somewhat support the war in Ukraine.