EU proposes to double financing for military aid to Ukraine

VERSAILLES: The European Union is proposing to double financing for military aid to Ukraine by an additional 500 million euros to help Kyiv's forces battling Russia's invasion, the bloc's foreign policy chief said Friday.

Josep Borrell said he was "certain" EU leaders meeting in France would agree to expand the spending package that has seen the bloc fund weapons going to Ukraine.

The EU last month broke a long-standing taboo by agreeing to pay for arms deliveries to Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of his pro-Western neighbour.

The move was part of a broad push by Ukraine's allies to send weapons in the face of desperate pleas from Kyiv for more support to help it fight off the Kremlin's advancing forces.

Officials said the new tranche of money would go towards reimbursing EU nations that were unilaterally sending arms requested by Kyiv.

Ukraine has been pushing for its allies to supply air defence systems to help prevent Russian bombings after the West rebuffed calls to impose a no-fly zone.

EU leaders have described Moscow's attack on Ukraine as a wake-up call for the 27-nation bloc to focus more on bolstering its own defences.

They were expected to commit "to increase substantially defence expenditures" and bolster cooperation on defence projects between member states at the talks near Paris.

"We must resolutely invest more and better in defence capabilities and innovative technologies," said a draft version of the final summit declaration seen by AFP.

Collective security in the European Union is primarily handled by the US-led NATO alliance, but France, the EU's biggest military power, has been spearheading calls for an enhanced role for the bloc.