EU leaders are scheduled to address Ukraine’s 2027 financing at a Nov. 26-27 Brussels summit, while European Council President António Costa has made room for Ukraine talks in Dublin on Nov. 13.
Euronews and the Kyiv Independent reported that they had seen a Nov. 9 letter from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Costa’s reply. Merz asked Costa to prioritize the financing debate in Dublin, arguing that bilateral support for Ukraine was falling unevenly on a small group of EU members. Costa’s response left room for broader Ukraine talks, the outlets reported, while the financing item remains on the Brussels agenda.
The European Council’s published agenda for Dublin lists artificial intelligence and developments related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, including peace talks. Costa’s Nov. 3 invitation letter had described AI as the meeting’s focus.
The European Commission’s Oct. 30 proposal asks the Council to approve the remaining €45 billion for 2027 under its €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan for 2026-27. If adopted, disbursements could begin in early 2027.
That amount is distinct from another €45 billion the EU is considering toward a separate funding gap. European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis said Nov. 9 that Ukraine faced an additional €70 billion financing gap in 2027 and that the EU was considering €45 billion toward it; the Commission was still preparing options.
The Commission’s Oct. 19 transcript described a roughly €70 billion gap after accounting for the existing 2027 €45 billion provision and some partner commitments. Dombrovskis described the gap on Nov. 9 as additional. The two statements do not align, and the Commission did not explain the difference in its public remarks.
Euronews and the Kyiv Independent also reported that Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Bulgaria pushed back against Merz’s call to spread financing responsibility across EU members. Merz argued that the current bilateral model leaves a small number of governments carrying much of the cost, while Ukraine is the intended recipient. The Council’s provisional agenda for the Nov. 26-27 Brussels meeting lists Ukraine’s 2027 financing alongside the EU’s next long-term budget.
