BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU finance ministers agreed on Wednesday to integrate EU aid to Ukraine into the 2023 budget to make spending more systematic and predictable. This was announced by Dombrovskis, vice president of the European Commission, the executive body of the EU.
The move is likely to further strengthen ties between the 27 EU members and candidate Ukraine. Ukraine struggles to maintain administrative control as it thwarts a nearly eight-month Russian invasion.
Dombrovskis admitted to reporters after the ministerial meeting that EU aid to Ukraine this year was largely uneven. The need for the Ukrainian government to pay the salaries and pensions of civil servants on a regular basis has been a cause for concern.
The EU agreed to € 9 billion in aid to Ukraine in May, but only paid the first € 1 billion in July.
Dombrovskis said the next € 5 billion will be paid by mid-October and the remaining € 3 billion will be paid in two installments in November and December.
“It is important that Ukraine has more predictable flows next year. An agreement has been reached,” he said.
