EU finance ministers are gathering in the EU capital this Thursday to address the bloc's financial agenda, featuring the increasingly urgent issue of financial support to Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Warns Nation's Existence Relies on Allies
Kyiv's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a latest interview that the country's survival depended on obtaining more funds from allies.
“We trust, with luck, we will get the necessary funding,” he told media outlets. Otherwise, “It will be necessary to seek an alternative, it’s a question of our surviving. For this reason we need it very much. And I count on our allies.”
EU Commission Pushes for €140bn Reparations Loan
The European Commission continues to aim to convince member states – and Belgium, which is currently blocking the plan due to legal fears – to proceed with a €140 billion financial compensation based on frozen Russian assets.
Commission president Ursula von der Leyen insisted today that this represents “the most effective way to sustain Ukraine’s defence and national finances.”
Resolution Postponed Till December Meeting
A final decision on the issue has been deferred until the European Council meeting in December, with the funding needed early next year.
Discussions Occur Amid Bribery Allegations in Ukraine
But these discussions come at a tricky moment for Ukraine, as the president had to move to contain rising popular anger in the country regarding a corruption scandal in the energy sector, dismissing several officials who are accused of participating in a extensive bribery scheme.
Denmark's finance leader Stephanie Lose was asked about her reaction to the scandal, and affirmed that there was determination to continue supporting the Ukrainian people.
“Of course, Ukraine will have to persistently focus with reforms, reinforcing every sector of the nation [and] including anti-corruption … but there shouldn’t be any doubt that Europe stands firmly with Ukraine,” she stated.
Additional EU Developments Monitored
Separately, observers will be keeping an eye on Holland where the legislature convenes to discuss potential ways ahead in the government formation process, Rome-Tirana discussions in the Italian capital offering the most recent opportunity to enjoy the brilliant Meloni-Rama dynamics, and a series of top-tier conferences across Europe, including Nato’s Mark Rutte’s visit to a German airbase.
Much to report on.
Today is November 13, November 13, 2025, and we bring you Europe Live.
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