European Parliament delays EU Council funding over failure to supply Ukraine with Patriot systems
The European Parliament has postponed a decision on funding for the Council of the European Union due to the failure of EU member states to provide additional Patriot systems to Ukraine, Evropeiska Pravda reports, citing MEPs in attendance.
Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian Prime Minister from the Renew Europe faction, proposed removing the European Council's budget approval from the agenda until the member states can deliver the seven Patriot systems that Ukraine urgently requires.
Verhofstadt urged to mind the remarks of the EU's foreign policy chief, stating that European countries possess a hundred Patriot systems while Ukraine needs just seven.
His suggestion was met with enthusiastic applause.
The decision is described as unprecedented. It garnered the support of 515 MEPs, with 62 opposing.
"Parliament refuses discharge of the Council budget until European Council decided to support Ukraine with additional Patriot anti-missile systems !” Verhofstadt posted on social network X.