EU finds financial support for Ukraine increasingly difficult - Peskov
MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) - Financial support for Ukraine is becoming more difficult for the European Union, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"This is rather a question for the Europeans themselves. Obviously, they find it increasingly difficult to waste money on the bottomless Ukrainian barrel," Peskov said.
Peskov was commenting on an article in the Financial Times, which says Ukraine may not get 50 billion euros from the European Union because of the financial crisis in Germany and the growing strength of the far-right in Europe. He was asked how this might influence the special military operation's progress.
"As for us, the special military operation will continue. Our economy has adapted to the special military operation and ensures the necessary conditions for continuing it," Peskov said.
The Financial Times said, citing EU officials, that the EU member states were far from reaching consent on the EU budget, including the allocation of 50 billion euros to Ukraine, ahead of the EU summit in Brussels on December 14-15.
Internal EU disputes about the money and the future of Ukraine jeopardized crucial promises given to Kiev several months ago, when U.S. financial and military assistance to Ukraine stopped abruptly due to the politically fractured U.S. Congress, the Financial Times article said.
According to the article, last month's victory of a far-right party in the Dutch elections and the recent ruling of a German court that limited government borrowing are hindering EU efforts towards compromise.
In addition, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reiterated on Friday that he would veto the beginning of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, telling public radio it was "contrary to the interests of several member states."
"We are in a good enough shape to dare say so, no matter the pressure we come under," Orban said.
All of this may deal a blow to Kiev following the failure of its summer counteroffensive and growing concerns about weakening support from the West, the Financial Times said.
According to the article, the EU's financing of Ukraine has become a political football in a wider debate over the EU's budget priorities after the commission decided to combine support for Kiev with other requests for funding.
The allocation of 50 billion euros for Ukraine, including 17 billion euros as grants and 33 billion euros as loans, has been combined with requests for 15 billion euros for migration, 10 billion euros for investment in strategic technologies, and almost 19 billion euros to pay off interest on the EU's joint loans, the Financial Times said.
Nonetheless, according to the officials, a compromise was still possible, the Financial Times said. A reviewed package is due to be presented at the summit.