European Union defense ministers will meet in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss military aid to Ukraine and efforts to strengthen Europe’s defense industry.
The EU has pledged €5 billion ($5.4 billion) in military aid to Ukraine through an off-budget fund called the European Peace Facility. But the payments are being held up by Hungary. Every EU member state has a veto.
“This delay can be measured in terms of human lives,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday after a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “We have agreed that Hungary’s contribution to the European Peace Facility will not be used to provide military support to Ukraine.”
The ministers will discuss the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will also take part in the talks.
Also on the agenda is a €1.5 billion plan drawn up by the European Commission in March to strengthen the EU’s arms industry so it can be better equipped to defend itself and arm Ukraine.
