The European Commission will continue to support Ukraine as long as it is needed, even though the availability of budget funds has been exhausted, the Commission announced today, presenting its draft budget for 2024. After the Russian aggression, the EU budget was mobilized to support Ukraine and EU countries receiving refugees, but the increased costs require adjustment in the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027.

The extraordinary costs for Ukraine last year were 53 billion euros, and together with the additional funds allocated by the states for Ukrainian refugees, the total amount reached 70 billion euros. Today, the Commission proposed an annual EU budget of 189,3 billion euros for 2024. The budget will be supplemented by approximately €113 billion in grants from Next Generation EU, the EU's post-pandemic recovery tool.

Their combined capacity will continue to drive Europe's ongoing economic recovery and job creation, while strengthening strategic autonomy.

In recent years, the EU has faced exceptional challenges, including rapidly rising inflation, which have put significant pressure on the budget's ability to continue meeting the needs arising from new developments, Segabnews reported.