Greek Prime Minister Calls for a Secure Solution at the Crucial EU Summit to Support Ukraine

Greek Prime Minister calls for a legal and financial secure solution to support Ukraine at the EU summit.

SUMMARY

Greek Prime Minister confirms his country's support for a compensation loan to Ukraine and calls for a legally and financially secure solution during the EU summit in Brussels to discuss Ukraine's funding.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirms Greece's support for a compensation loan to Ukraine.
European leaders seek a legally and financially secure solution to Ukraine's funding issues.
Belgium opposes the plan to use frozen Russian assets as a loan to Ukraine due to legal and financial risks.
Loan approval requires a qualified majority of EU member states.

CORE SUBJECT

Support and funding for Ukraine at the EU summit

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed that his country supports granting a compensation loan to Ukraine, noting that European leaders meeting in Brussels today, Thursday, must reach a "legally and financially secure" solution to address the funding problems Ukraine is facing.

The Greek newspaper "Ekathimerini" reported today, Thursday, that Mitsotakis said upon arriving to attend the summit: "Greece supports Ukraine and will support any solution that provides it with financial stability, so that it is safe and able to continue defending itself against the Russian operation."

He added: "But we have repeatedly emphasized the necessity that any solution must be secure from both legal and financial perspectives, and must ensure that the funds Ukraine receives and spends on armaments take into account the specific national priorities of the member states."

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels today, Thursday, aiming to agree on how to finance Ukraine's economic and military needs in the coming years.

The most controversial funding model involves allowing frozen Russian state assets under EU sanctions to be made available to Ukraine in the form of a "loan," which Kyiv would only have to repay if Russia provides compensation after the war.

Belgium, which holds about 185 billion euros of the total 210 billion euros of frozen Russian assets in the EU, opposes this plan, citing legal and financial risks.

The Belgian government is particularly concerned that Moscow might retaliate against European individuals and companies, for example by seizing their properties in Russia, and demands protective guarantees.

Approving the loan requires a so-called "qualified majority," meaning the approval of at least 15 out of 27 EU member states representing 65% of the bloc's population, but it is unlikely that other EU countries would want to override Belgium by voting.

KEYWORDS

Ukraine European Union Kyriakos Mitsotakis compensation loan funding Belgium frozen Russian assets

MENTIONED ENTITIES 5

Kyriakos Mitsotakis

👤 Person_Male

Greek Prime Minister

European Union

🏛️ Organization

Political and economic organization comprising European countries

Belgium

📍 Location_Country

EU member state opposing the loan plan

Moscow

📍 Location_City

Capital of Russia

Brussels

📍 Location_City

Capital of Belgium and headquarters of the European Union

NOTABLE QUOTES 2

"Greece supports Ukraine and will support any solution that provides it with financial stability, so that it is safe and able to continue defending itself against the Russian operation."

— Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Context: Statement upon arrival to attend the EU summit in Brussels

"But we have repeatedly emphasized the necessity that any solution must be secure from both legal and financial perspectives, and must ensure that the funds Ukraine receives and spends on armaments take into account the specific national priorities of the member states."