Brussels – Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon stated that Slovenia will endorse only a solution for financing additional EU support to Ukraine that is both legally and fiscally sustainable. This statement came during discussions among member states about leveraging frozen Russian assets to fund a loan to Kyiv. Fajon expressed her belief that transitional loans backed by the EU would be more acceptable to Slovenia.
“At the EU summit this weekend, Slovenia will advocate for a legally and fiscally sustainable approach. We recognize the necessity of aid for Ukraine and stand in solidarity with them; however, it is essential that all solutions include clear evaluations of the fiscal impact on EU member states,” Fajon articulated Slovenia’s stance ahead of Thursday’s European Council meeting, which will address financing further support for Ukraine, held alongside the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
Fajon noted that there is an increasing sense among member states that comprehensive analyses regarding the implications of using frozen Russian assets to finance a 90-billion-euro loan to Ukraine over the next two years are still lacking. As per the European Commission’s proposal, member states would guarantee this loan.
During the ministerial discussions, Fajon met with her Belgian counterpart Maxime Prevot, whose country manages the majority of frozen Russian assets and is against their use to support Ukraine. Prevot anticipates that the ultimate resolution will likely shift towards transitional loans, secured by guarantees from the EU budget.
“If we pivot towards transitional loans, I personally believe this may be more acceptable from Slovenia’s perspective,” Fajon commented.
The ongoing support for Ukraine, which continues to endure Russian aggression, was a key issue at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting, set against the backdrop of active peace initiatives driven by the United States. (15 December)
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