Poland Blocked Billions of Financial Support for Ukraine from the EU
Previously Poland had already blocked the minimum tax rate, but backed down after receiving approval of the post-consolidation recovery plan, Still, this week, the country once again opposed the resolution.
The macro financial aid of EUR 18 billion promised to Ukraine and agreed at the EU level is now under the threat of failure. At the last moment, the package, which includes this resolution, was unexpectedly blocked by Ukraine's ally Poland, as RadioSvoboda correspondent Zoriana Stepanenko said for TSN.
Now the leaders of all 27 EU Member States and the EU political institutions are wondering what to do, since Poland’s veto was a sudden and surprising move came out at the last moment. Poland is still committed to support funding for Ukraine, however the micro financial aid package has become a hostage of internal politics, so to speak. Since the final package includes five different resolutions, it is enough to block only one of them, and the same fate will befall the rest four. The resolution opposed by Poland is not about macro financial aid for Ukrainian prolongation of the anti-Russian sanctions for another six months, which is now also blocked as part of the "package", but the introduction of the global minimum tax rate which may affect taxation of international companies.
Basically, this is something that does not concern the war between Ukraine or Russia at all. Previously Poland had already blocked the minimum tax rate, but backed down after receiving approval of the post-consolidation recovery plan, Still, this week, the country once again opposed the resolution. Even protracted and inconclusive negotiations held yesterday failed to persuade the Polish Prime Minister to concede.
Diplomats say anonymously that it is likely that the Polish Prime Minister will now bring the issue before the summit, although it is not included in the original agenda. Technically, the consent of the national leaders to approve the resolutions from the blocked package is not required, as these resolutions had been already approved by the EU Member State ambassadors. Although, the ambassadors may potentially also withdraw their approval, since they represent the political will of the countries that delegated them.
However, Radio Svoboda’s sources in EU diplomatic circles are nevertheless optimistic. According to the, no one would risk the stability of Ukraine, which the EU promises to support for as long as it takes. The problem will be resolved as quickly as it was raised, and either the resolutions as part of the package will be approved one by one, or Poland will withdraw its objection. It yet remains to be seen what path the EU officials will prefer to follow.
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