Germany wants to provide Ukraine with 6.6 billion euros, but Poland has opposed the move
10 June 22:54
Germany wants the 6.6 billion euros from the European Peace Fund, which Hungary had previously blocked, to be transferred to Ukraine. However, Poland opposes this, demanding the full repayment of approximately 450 million euros for weapons it has already supplied to Kyiv. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" citing RMF FM.
A dispute has intensified within the European Union over €6.6 billion from the European Peace Facility (EPF), which had previously been blocked by Hungary. Following the change in Hungary’s defense minister, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, stated that the EU is moving toward unblocking these funds and is already discussing how exactly to use them.
What is the nature of the conflict?
The problem is that after the funds are unblocked, there will only be €6.6 billion in the EPF accounts, while the total claims from EU member states for compensation for weapons already transferred to Ukraine are significantly higher. At the same time, EU countries have spent a total of €43 billion from this fund. At the standard reimbursement rate of 40%, Brussels would have to return €13.5 billion to the member states, but that money is not currently available.
This is precisely why discussions have begun in Brussels regarding a compromise mechanism for distributing the fund.
The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, proposed a compromise plan: to divide the available 6.6 billion euros, pay countries only partial proportional compensation (10%), and to allocate the remainder to a training mission for Ukrainian military personnel and joint arms purchases for Ukraine.
Reports specifically mention the option of allocating approximately €900 million to EUMAM and €1 billion for direct arms purchases for Kyiv.
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Why Poland is opposed
Poland insists that the money from the fund should first be returned to those states that have already spent their own funds on military aid to Ukraine.
Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk stated that reducing compensation would mean less funding for the Polish army, and Warsaw considers changing the rules after the weapons have already been transferred to be unfair.
The Polish side is effectively advocating for the fund to operate according to its original logic—as a mechanism for reimbursing member states’ expenses, rather than as a tool for redistributing funds to new support programs.
Why Germany insists on transferring funds to Ukraine
Germany, on the other hand, is pushing for the available funds not to be returned to national budgets but to be used in the interests of Ukraine. This position is also supported by some other countries, particularly the Nordic states, which believe that the EPF should remain an instrument of solidarity with Kyiv.
German Deputy Defense Minister Sebastian Hartmann, at a meeting of defense ministers in Nicosia, called on partners to allocate all funds to support our country, since this fund was created as a mechanism of solidarity.
France also leans toward Call’s plan. Incidentally, Paris is not opposed to spending money on Ukraine, but on the condition that weapons be purchased only from European manufacturers—the French have already blocked the idea of procuring arms for Ukraine from the U.S.
Poland is supported in this dispute by Slovakia, which was the first to announce that it would demand a full refund.
Now this issue will be discussed at the technical level, after which it will be submitted for consideration by EU ambassadors.
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