Brussels awaits EU capitals' response to von der Leyen's Ukraine aid proposal for 2026-2027

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has sent a letter to the member states of the European Union, in which she outlined proposals for further financial support for Ukraine for the period 2026-2027 and stated her readiness to present a ready-made legislative act.

The European Commission is currently awaiting feedback from the capitals, European Commission Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho said at a briefing on Wednesday.

Referring to von der Leyen’s speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday morning on peace for Ukraine, Pinho said: "President von der Leyen, in her speech on the peace plan for Ukraine in the European Parliament this morning, mentioned our work on the reparations loan and she indicated that the Commission is ready to present a legal text, that is, a legal proposal. As you know, discussions are ongoing with the Member States on this topic, so we are discussing this issue also on the basis of the letter that President von der Leyen shared with the Member States a few days ago. We are receiving feedback from the Member States on this basis and we expect clear feedback also on the legislative proposal and the timing."

According to a European Commission spokesperson, "the President has made it clear that we are ready to put it (the legislative proposal) on the table." "Discussions are ongoing and we expect to receive concrete feedback as well, in particular on this issue," Pinho said.

Speaking about the letter, she said that in it the President proposed financing options "which she shared with the member states a few days ago, and it includes a reparation loan and two other options, and she noted that they could also be combined". "In view of this, the President also made it clear from the very beginning that she sees a reparation loan as a more realistic way forward, and the President has also always insisted on the need for Russia, the aggressor, to pay for the incredible damage it is causing to Ukraine. And a reparation loan is exactly the option that meets this request and this requirement, which means that Russia will pay for the damage it is causing," the European Commission spokeswoman noted.