BRATISLAVA, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday opposed a call by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on all European Union member states to contribute to covering Ukraine's projected budget deficit next year.
According to local media reports, the two leaders made the remarks at a meeting of the Czech and Slovak governments in Bratislava, where the issue of financial support for Ukraine emerged as a major topic of discussion.
According to the Financial Times, Germany has threatened to block negotiations on the EU's next multiannual budget unless all member states agree to share the financial burden of supporting Ukraine. Merz said continued support for Ukraine was essential to Europe's collective security and constituted a common European responsibility.
Fico described Merz's demand as "typical blackmail," saying Slovakia had the same veto rights as Germany within the EU. He also made clear that Slovakia would not participate in any further EU loan to Ukraine.
Babis said the EU budget proposal already included funding for Ukraine and opposed linking further financial assistance to negotiations on the bloc's long-term budget.
He also called on EU leaders to appoint a representative to participate in negotiations on a possible settlement of the Ukraine conflict, saying Europeans should not leave the task entirely to the United States.
Kyiv has estimated its budget shortfall for next year at around 70 billion euros (78.35 billion U.S. dollars), while the EU has pledged to cover 45 billion euros (50.37 billion dollars) of the amount. The specific funding arrangements have yet to be determined. ■