Today, the European Parliament held the final vote for a new aid fund for Ukraine amounting to €50 billion under the Ukraine Facility program for 2024-2027, reported «Radio Liberty» correspondent Rikard Jozwiak on X (formerly Twitter). Out of 615 members, 536 voted in favor, 40 against. Another 39 abstained.
Recall, EU country leaders approved the allocation of €50 billion to Ukraine on February 1 at a special summit in Brussels. On February 5, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a preliminary agreement on creating a new instrument to support the recovery, reconstruction, and modernization of Ukraine, the Ukraine Facility. However, the document had to be finally approved by the European Parliament.
The first payment is scheduled to take place next week. It is worth noting that the aid package was adopted two months later than planned, due to Hungary's veto during the EU summit in December.
European Parliament member Eider Gardiazabal Rubial noted that the aid package is aimed at modernization and reforms, which will help Ukraine join the EU in the future:
«This program will provide crucial assistance to the Ukrainian government, allowing it to maintain its functions and continue providing essential public services. We will help them rebuild and modernize their country. We will provide technical support for a package of reforms that, in the future, will enable them to join the European Union,» Rubial emphasized.
