European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels on Monday to deliberate on assistance for Ukraine. The meeting will address a proposal to provide €40 billion ($43.5 billion) in military aid to Ukraine, occurring prior to a broader meeting of EU leaders on Thursday.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, whose nation backed the proposal, stated that maintaining this level of funding over a prolonged period would enable Ukrainians to uphold the current strength of their armed forces.

The US funding for Ukraine’s war efforts, now under uncertainty due to the Trump administration, poses a significant challenge for the European Union, which aims to bridge this funding gap through unity.

It has been suggested that participation in the funding plan will be voluntary, aiming to prevent potential vetoes from opposing nations, such as Hungary, which has consistently opposed aiding Ukraine.

The expected funding contribution from each country will be proportional to their economic size. Germany has already committed to €4 billion ($4.35 billion) for this year.

However, countries like France, Spain, and Italy will need to increase their spending commitments to align with the proposed scheme.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-trump-says-he-will-discuss-ceasefire-with-putin/live-71939138?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf