France and Italy have blocked EU approval of €5B in aid for Ukraine.

During a Brussels summit, the EU was not able to reach an agreement on the allocation of €5B for Ukraine’s ammunition supplies this year, as EU members, including France and Italy, were hesitant to commit to specific financial amounts.

However, following the summit on March 20, the leaders of 26 countries reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression. The summit participants adopted a document, EUCO 11/25, which reaffirms the EU’s commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The European leaders emphasized that peace must be pursued based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, and any agreement must ensure the release of prisoners of war and Ukrainian children who were forcibly removed from their homes.

Simultaneously, the EU urged Russia to demonstrate the genuine political will to end the war. EU leaders confirmed their willingness to increase sanctions on Russia and to prevent any circumvention of existing restrictions. They paid particular attention to Ukrainian security guarantees and urged member states to expedite the supply of ammunition and large-caliber missiles.