EU members agree on 35-bln-euro loan for Ukraine - official
BRUSSELS. Oct 15 (Interfax) - Regardless of how a discussion on Ukraine develops at the European Union summit on October 17-18, the member states have already reached agreement on a 35-billion-euro loan in support for Kiev, a senior EU official told journalists.
While the EU is concerned about possible risks that would emerge from the moment that revenue from immobilized Russian assets enables the EU to cover this loan, this changes nothing for Ukraine, and it will receive the funds, he said.
The main goal of a discussion at the upcoming summit is to reaffirm the EU's commitment to support Ukraine and supply it with more weapons, the official told members of the press in Brussels on Tuesday while informing them of the summit's agenda.
The EU leaders will also discuss the $50-billion loan, which was agreed upon by the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) last week, and the European Parliament is to vote on it next week, he said.
The EU will send an important message by pledging this financing on behalf of Europe and through loans from other countries, he said.
As reported on Monday, the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade agreed with the European Commission's proposal on providing Ukraine with a 35-billion-euro loan as the EU's contribution to the G7's $50-billion macro-financial assistance project.
The European Parliament is expected to endorse the proposal at its plenary session in Strasbourg on October 21-24, after which the Council of the EU is to issue its resolution.