‘No question’ EU funds must not be misused, Estonian minister says
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EU ministers met in Brussels this week to discuss how Ukraine could best use the EU’s €90 billion loan to repel Russian forces. Backdropped by a widening corruption scandal in the war-torn country, Estonia's defence minister told Euronews there is 'no question' the money should not be mishandled.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told Euronews there is “no question” that accountability needs to be enforced when it comes to the bloc’s €90 billion loan, as the former chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is investigated over graft allegations.
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“We need to have accountability in place,” Pevkur told Euronews’ programme Europe Today.
“It is definitely something Ukrainians are looking into very seriously because it is also important for them that there are no rumours or problems involved with that kind of assistance.
“At the end of the day, they need to secure support not only now but also for years to come – even after the war is over.”
Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov was present at Tuesday’s Foreign Affairs Council talks, which centred on defence. Pevkur said it is up to Fedorov to demonstrate how the funds will be used, not only to allay the anxieties of Ukrainians but also those of Europeans.
“Ukrainians still need our assistance and help to rebuild Ukraine and support its path to becoming a normal European country,” he said.
“This is why it is first and foremost up to the Ukrainians to show both their own people and us that everything is in good shape.”
Ukraine will also be the focus of talks in Romania at a B9 Summit on Wednesday, a meeting aimed at exploring how allies on the Eastern and Nordic flanks can contribute more substantially to transatlantic security.
Watch the full interview in the player above.
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