Czech PM Babiš rejects EU plan to lend to Kyiv
13 December 20:08
The Czech Republic will not assume any guarantees for Ukraine’s financing, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has warned. The European Commission should find alternative ways to support Kyiv, he said in a video posted on social media on Saturday, December 13, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“We will not take on guarantees for anything and will not invest any money in them,” the politician, whose government will officially take office on December 15, emphasized.
Babiš also said that during his trip to Brussels, he had agreed with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Weever to jointly oppose the plans of the European Commission.
“The European Commission must find other ways to finance Ukraine. Our treasury is empty, and we need every krona for our citizens,” he emphasized.
The European Commission insists on adopting a plan for a loan to Ukraine on December 18-19
During the December 18-19 summit, EU leaders will discuss a complex loan scheme for Ukraine proposed by the European Commission. It includes the use of frozen Russian assets for a “reparations loan” to Ukraine and national guarantees from EU countries. The plan provides for the money to be returned to Russia only if Ukraine pays reparations after the war.
This scheme is opposed by Belgium, which holds most of Russia’s frozen funds. It is supported by several other countries. According to Politico, Belgium is supported by Italy, Bulgaria and Malta.
