The European Commission says it will speed up its plan to use frozen Russian assets to help plug Ukraine’s €135.7 billion funding gap for 2026-2027. President Ursula von der Leyen told a fairly empty Strasbourg parliament on Wednesday morning that officials are “ready to present a legal text” for gathering these funds, adding that “Europe will stand with Ukraine every step of the way.”
But critics of Brussels’ leadership stressed that it should be focused on bringing the war to an end, instead—in particular, by supporting the Donald Trump-led peace efforts.
Hungarian MEP Viktória Ferenc, from the Patriots for Europe group, criticised the Commission for “financing this war while people in Ukraine are putting their own lives at risk,” describing this as a “very cynical approach.”
We have an opportunity for peace. We have to grasp it.
Alexander Sell, who represents Germany’s AfD in the European Parliament, also said that too many have died in the conflict, and “too much money has gone to Kyiv to finance a pointless war and to line the pockets of a corrupt regime.” Recent searches inside the Kyiv apartments of some top officials have resulted in the finding of “duffel bags filled with cash” and even a “golden toilet.”
Sell added that while Europe’s establishment talks about its desire for peace, “you were not involved in the talks [between Washington and Moscow] because you are not ready to talk.” He said Brussels is wrong to be “proud” about refusing to talk to Russia, and that it should instead be willing to talk to all sides.
Martin Schirdewan of the Left group was no less critical, saying that the “truth” is:
The EU hasn’t undertaken any diplomatic endeavours worthy of the name—or even provided support, at least—to try and end [the war]. Instead, here in this chamber, we’ve heard again and again mention made of the fact that the war has to be won on the battlefield.
The Commission has yet to specify when the legal text outlining future funding for Ukraine will be presented to lawmakers.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
