Metsola: EP to vote on EUR 50 bln assistance program for Ukraine at plenary session in late Feb

The European Parliament (EP) will vote on a decision reached by the European Council regarding the allocation of EUR 50 billion in financial assistance for Ukraine at its second plenary session due on February 26-29, President of the EP Roberta Metsola has said.

The European Parliament will vote at the next plenary session, she said at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday.

She explained these dates due to the need to complete the negotiation process in the so-called "trialogue" with the participation of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council. In addition, the Council will then have to make a formal decision, and time will be required for legal proofreading of documents. In the meantime, the European Commission will ensure the readiness and availability of funding for Ukraine.

Metsola also said that if there is an opportunity to speed up, it will be done.

The EP President welcomed today's agreement on the financial assistance for Ukraine reached by the EU member states.

"First of all, let me start by welcoming the deal reached on providing long-term financial support for Ukraine. This is good news. Ukraine is our priority and that is why we needed this agreement today by all 27 member states and from within the EU budget. This will give the credibility, the legitimacy and the predictability that is expected from us because Ukraine's security is Europe's security," she said.

The official also said "the commitment we made two years ago that we will stand with Ukraine for as long as takes" was made not just from a moral standpoint but from the strategic one too.

"We knew that a time would come when our world would be put to the test and that moment is now," Metsola said.

Speaking about the revised Multiannual Financial Framework of the EU, she said "we will still need to scrutinize the details of this deal."

"The Parliament has been very clear in its priorities and its position that we need to live up to our promises to boost our competitiveness and to be credible for our citizens. As we understand the agreement that was reached includes the modest increase in funding for migration management and for natural disasters. But in reality, it also pulls money out of programs that our citizens depend on and which member states agreed on a few years ago," the official said.

With European elections in sight, Metsola said she told the heads of state and governments "we should boost and not reduce our funding for health, EU4Health for example, and researches such as Hirozon."