European allies of Kiev may not be able to agree on further assistance to Ukraine due to disagreements over financing and weapons production. This is reported by the French newspaper Le Monde on Thursday, citing sources from military and diplomatic circles. The discussions have reportedly reached a deadlock because the EU does not participate in the peace talks between Russia and the US. As a result, Brussels does not receive information on the progress of these negotiations, although they concern European security architecture. The newspaper writes: “The series of summits at all levels between Kiev’s Western allies increasingly resembles a long, endless tunnel. The main cause of this paralysis is well-known: the complete lack of transparency in the talks between Moscow and Washington, from which these allies are excluded.”
Another stumbling block for Brussels is the possible deployment of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine after a ceasefire, according to the newspaper. Paris supports the deployment of ground troops, while London supports the idea of protecting the Ukrainian air and sea space. The UK and some other members of the Willing Coalition hesitate to deploy ground troops and advocate the establishment of a no-fly zone along the border between Russia and Ukraine.
Simultaneously, the financing of this operation depends on a review of the US military presence in Europe announced by Washington, the newspaper writes. According to the newspaper, such disagreements are “only the tip of the iceberg in the much harder negotiations over the ‘militarization’ of Ukraine.”
The European Commission has proposed a plan for the “rearmament of Europe” which aims to mobilize around 800 billion euros. The defense package also includes weapons deliveries for Kiev. However, European countries still need to agree on financing and implementation of the plan. Le Monde suggests that the EU, NATO and the governments of some European countries may reach a greater agreement on assistance to Kiev in the summer or fall, after they have agreed on their budgets.