The reality behind the EU’s new €5B weapons fund for Kyiv

The top end result will nonetheless imply billions of euros price of weapons are despatched to Ukraine — a few of them instantly by donors, whereas if international locations give much less they’re going to have to truly pay into the fund.

Bilateral arms shipments to Ukraine might be discounted from money contributions to the fund at a degree of round 43 p.c. That signifies that for each €2.30 in weapons {that a} nation offers Ukraine, it will probably deduct €1 from what it owes to the fund.

For all international locations, which means so long as they offer sufficient bilateral assist, they gained’t have to provide any new money to the fund.

It’s “inventive accounting,” one official advised POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook.

Germany, for instance, has to chip in round €1.2 billion a yr, however so long as it offers Ukraine at the least €2.4 billion in weapons, it will likely be off the hook. This yr Berlin has pledged it would give €7 billion.

Germany has already stated it would depend its personal arms shipments as its contribution.