Fico Calls Merz 'Blackmail' Over New EU Budget Conditions
Berlin links the 2028-2034 funding plan to a new commitment for Ukraine's 2027 deficit, a move Slovakia says mirrors its own veto power.
By Thomas Obasi ·
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has labeled German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's budget demands as "blackmail."
Merz made Germany's backing for the European Union's 2028-2034 budget conditional on all member states agreeing to fund Ukraine's 2027 shortfall. The chancellor outlined this requirement in a letter to European Council President António Costa. Several media outlets reviewed the document before its public release. Fico addressed the issue on November 10. He stated that Slovakia holds the same veto power as Germany. Therefore, the Slovak government must respond to the pressure.
Ukraine faces a funding gap of 70 billion euros for 2027. Kyiv announced this need due to the scale of Russian aggression. The European Union promised to cover two-thirds of this amount. That figure represents approximately 45 billion euros. The European Commission is currently drafting options to meet this pledge. Officials are considering issuing additional joint debt obligations. Brussels aims for leaders to reach a deal by the end of the year.
Four member states have signaled they will not contribute to further financial assistance. These countries are Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Czechia. In December, EU leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan. Hungary, Slovakia, and Czechia secured exemptions from paying interest on that specific loan last year.
The European Council instructed the Commission to prepare proposals for the 70 billion euro shortfall at a summit held on October 15 and 16. The bloc now moves to negotiate how these obligations will be structured within the next seven-year budget framework.
