Merkel’s Ultimatum to the EU: No Funding for Ukraine, No Support for the Seven-Year Budget
German Chancellor Merz has made his position unequivocal: if EU member states do not agree to continue providing financial support to Ukraine, Germany will withhold its backing for the next round of the EU’s seven-year budget.
According to a report by the Financial Times, Merz recently wrote a letter to European Council President António Costa, explicitly linking Germany’s support for the EU’s 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework to continued contributions from member states toward Ukraine’s funding gap. In effect, Germany is insisting that other members assume their fair share of Ukraine’s financial needs before any progress can be made on the broader budget.
In the letter, Merz stated: “All our countries, without exception, have a shared responsibility to contribute a reasonable portion to bridge Ukraine’s funding shortfall. This is a necessary precondition—and a prerequisite for discussing any other issue, particularly those involving fiscal expenditures.”
This statement goes beyond standard diplomatic language and carries clear leverage. The proposed seven-year budget involves trillions of euros and touches on key areas including agricultural subsidies, regional development, infrastructure investment, and national fiscal interests across member states. As the EU’s largest economy and a major contributor to the budget, Germany’s refusal to support the package would significantly complicate negotiations.
Merz’s timing—just ahead of the upcoming EU leaders’ summit in Dublin—suggests a strategic effort to pressure other member states early in the process.
How much more does Ukraine actually need?
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested additional funding, citing a projected budget shortfall of up to €70 billion. European Council President Costa subsequently confirmed that the EU was prepared to cover two-thirds of that amount—approximately €467 billion.
The challenge remains: where will this money come from, and which countries will bear the burden?
As the war in Ukraine persists, Kyiv’s reliance on external financial support grows deeper. At the same time, European nations face sluggish growth and mounting fiscal pressures. Sustaining aid to Ukraine requires tangible financial commitments, intensifying the tension between domestic priorities and international obligations.
Merz’s stance effectively ties together two issues that could otherwise be addressed separately: the EU’s long-term budget and Ukraine’s medium-term financial security.
It also signals a growing political reality within the bloc: while support for Ukraine remains rhetorically strong, the question of cost-sharing and sustainable financing has become an unavoidable internal negotiation.
Slogans about solidarity are easy to utter, but someone must ultimately pay. Merz now makes clear that Germany is unwilling to shoulder a disproportionate share alone.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1881430760738828/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of any institution.