EU leaders in letter support for reparation loan to Ukraine with decision in Dec
The leaders of seven European Union member states - Prime Ministers Kristen Michal of Estonia, Petteri Orpo of Finland, Michael Martin of Ireland, Taoiseach of Latvia, Evika Silinė of Latvia, Donald Tusk of Poland, Ulf Kristersson of Sweden and President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda - have addressed the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, with a letter in which they expressed their strong support for a reparation loan for Ukraine, with a subsequent decision to be made at the European Council meeting in December. This is stated in the letter dated December 7, the text of which is available to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
"Dear Antonio, dear Ursulo, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Europe has stood firmly by Ukraine. We do so because it is morally right, and because Russia’s imperialist ambitions threaten European security beyond Ukraine’s borders. Ukraine is also fighting for our freedom and for our values," the letter says.
The leaders stated that they are seeking long-term, reliable support that will strengthen Ukraine. "Given the current scale and urgency of Ukraine’s budgetary and military needs, we strongly support the Commission’s proposal for a reparations loan financed by the cash balances from immobilized Russian assets in the EU. In addition to being the most financially feasible and politically realistic solution, it also complies with the fundamental principle of Ukraine’s right to compensation for the damage caused by the aggression," the letter authors are convinced.
They also noted that time is of the essence. "By adopting a decision on the reparations loan at the European Council meeting in December, we have the opportunity to strengthen Ukraine’s position for self-defense and improve its position for negotiations for a just and lasting peace. We stand ready to work constructively with you to achieve this goal," the signatories of the letter assured.