Italy, France, and Slovakia pushed for a milder version of Kaja Kallas’ plan to increase military aid to Ukraine, but even with the revised text, reaching a consensus remained difficult.
According to European diplomats cited by Politico, the latest draft specifies that support will be provided “on a voluntary basis”—a key demand from France, Italy, and Slovakia.
The primary sticking point is the funding each country would need to contribute. Many diplomats have criticized Kallas for introducing the plan without prior consultations or alignment with the European Commission’s Ukraine initiatives, which were presented as part of the Rearm Europe package on Wednesday.
The proposal seeks to establish a coalition of willing nations to supply Ukraine with up to €40 billion in military aid this year, bypassing Hungary’s veto, which has blocked unanimous agreement among the 27 EU members.
Despite the softened approach, Slovakia reiterated during Monday’s EU foreign ministers’ meeting that it remains uninterested, according to three diplomats.
