Slovakia and Hungary refuse to fund EU aid for Ukraine in 2027
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that Slovakia and Hungary will not join an EU initiative to provide Ukraine with 70 billion euros in aid for 2027. Ukraine requested this additional funding from the bloc. Fico stated Slovakia prefers supporting Ukraine through education, road infrastructure, and energy connection projects rather than joining another potential EU loan. He said Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar shares this position. Fico also criticized the recent EU summit in Brussels for insufficiently discussing peace initiatives and ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the war will cost Ukraine 155 billion euros next year and asked EU leaders for 70 billion euros. The European Commission acknowledged Ukraine's 2027 budget shortfall and the European Council tasked it with preparing proposals to cover the gap.