European Parliament: first Patriot Ukraine, and then the EU Council budget

The European Parliament postponed the decision on the Council budget because of Ukraine EU.

Edition DW tellsthat, pointing to a new series of Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, the European Parliament called on first of all to resolve the issue of transferring the necessary Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, and then make a decision on funding the EU Council.

Andrius Kubilius, head of the Lithuanian delegation to the European Parliament, announced this on the social network X on April 11. According to European Pravda, the decision to postpone the approval of the EU Council budget was made at the initiative of Belgian MP Guy Verhofstadt. He pointed in his speech to a new series of Russian strikes and the need to supply Kyiv with additional Patriot systems.

Referring to data from Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy, the deputy pointed out that the European Union has one hundred such systems, and Ukraine is asking to be given only seven of them. Verhofstadt’s proposal was supported by 515 members of the European Parliament, and 62 voted against. Verhofstadt said on the social network X:

“Parliament refuses to implement the Council budget until the European Council decides to support Ukraine with additional Patriot missile defense systems!”

However, such a decision – to postpone the approval of the budget – has a symbolic meaning, according to DW's source in the European Parliament. We are talking rather about a show of solidarity with Ukraine, voiced by the leadership of the liberal faction, “however, this is unlikely to in any way affect the decision of the leaders of the EU countries to provide the Ukrainians with the necessary air defense systems.”

“However, such a step is another way to remind Europeans that Ukraine urgently needs air defense, and in the current situation it is necessary to use all available means,” he said.

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