The EU is considering doubling military aid to Ukraine to €40B in 2025, with contributions based on economic weight. A proposal by the EEAS suggests an initial step of providing 2M artillery rounds and using profits from frozen Russian assets to fund aid.
The European Union should be prepared to go as far as doubling its military aid to Ukraine this year to 40 billion euros ($43 billion) if necessary, according to a discussion paper by the bloc's diplomatic service seen by Reuters on Friday.
The paper, an updated version of an earlier proposal which set out Ukraine's requirements but did not name a target figure, also says each EU country participating in the effort should contribute "in line with its economic weight".
With the future of U.S. backing for Ukraine uncertain, EU countries have expressed a broad willingness to continue supporting the country in the war, but diplomats say several states oppose fixed targets.
The paper says the EU gave about 20 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine last year and encourages EU countries to do at least the same again in 2025, with the total "potentially reaching" 40 billion euros, depending on Kyiv's needs.
EU leaders are likely to discuss the proposal by the European External Action Service (EEAS), headed by former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, at a summit next week.
The EEAS "non-paper" - diplomatic jargon for a discussion document rather than a formal proposal - suggests leaders agree as a first step next week to provide 2 million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition to Kyiv this year.
It suggests that some of the costs of the plan could come from a scheme that takes windfall profits from Russian assets inside the EU and uses them for the benefit of Ukraine.
The contents of the new proposal were previously reported by Politico late on Thursday evening.
Hungary, whose prime minister Viktor Orban has criticised EU sanctions on Russia and military assistance to Ukraine, said on Friday his country should contribute funds to a common EU defence policy, but not agree to joint EU borrowing for defence.
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The United States has decided to halt some planned deliveries of air defence missiles and other munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns over dwindling American stockpiles, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The Netherlands will deliver a 100 drone-detection radars and 20 medical evacuation vehicles to Ukraine under a new €175 million ($202 million) military aid package, boosting its ongoing support for Kyiv ahead of the NATO summit this week.
Nearly 100 young and middle-aged military officers from over 40 African countries including Egypt, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya have started a 10-day visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Ministry of National Defence.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
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China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
Russia and Ukraine have swapped prisoners of war, according to officials on both sides. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 193 prisoners, including soldiers and border guards, had been returned from Russia, some injured and facing criminal charges.
Türkiye and the United Kingdom on Thursday signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement to boost bilateral cooperation, especially in defence. The deal, signed in London, signals a “new era” in relations between the two NATO allies.
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