EU to call on G7 to step up Ukraine budget support, von der Leyen says
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G7 countries should fund the remaining third of Ukraine's budgetary needs over the next two years, and the EU is going to ask them to do so, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 15 ahead of the G7 summit in France.
The European Union reached final agreement on a 90 billion euro ($105 billion) loan for Ukraine this April that is designed to cover two-thirds of Kyiv's total budget, with the remaining third to be paid for by others.
"For the remaining third, we need Ukraine's partners. This will be a topic at this summit," von der Leyen told reporters at a joint press conference with European Council President Antonio Costa.
A senior EU official also told the Kyiv Independent that the two EU leaders are expected to push for closer coordination on Russia sanctions around the G7 table.
"This is a message the EU has brought up before at the G7, the more countries adopt the same sanctions on Russia, the greater impact those sanctions will have," the senior EU official said on the condition of anonymity.
Lately there have been issues among the G7 among sanctions, with the U.S. repeatedly granting a waiver to Russia on some sanctions, and the U.K. causing uproar over exemptions proposed in a recent round of restrictive measures in May.
Also on June 15, the EU published new sanctions listings covering industrial actors helping Russia's war effort in and outside of the country, people involved in Russia's propaganda efforts, and people connected to the killing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The bloc is also preparing a 21st sanctions package, expected to be finalized in July.
Von der Leyen also announced that the EU would be donating 75 million euros ($87 million) to the 500 million euro ($580 million) fundraising effort to repair the New Safe Confinement facility at Chornobyl.
And with Canada, the EU intends to help Ukraine prepare for winter where it is expected that Russia will once again try to destroy the country's energy infrastructure.
The two EU leaders mentioned they look forward to welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky, who will arrive the morning of June 16 for a discussion session focused on Ukraine, and were very positive about Kyiv's progress on EU integration.
"They have delivered so now we have to deliver too," von der Leyen said.
