Billions for peace!

On March 18, the EU Foreign Affairs Council agreed to provide an additional €5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. This amount is set aside for Ukraine’s defense needs in the form of a Special Assistance Fund for Ukraine under the Orwellian European Peace Facility (EPF).

The EPF is a fund currently worth over €17 billion financed outside the EU budget for a period of seven years (2021-2027). When created in March 2021, the EPF had an initial financial ceiling of €5.69 billion in current prices. The Council increased the financial ceiling in March 2023 (by €2.29 billion), in June 2023 (by €4.06 billion) and in March 2024 (by €5 billion). The top-up of March 2024 is a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund within the EPF. The fund’s activities also seek to compensate member states for the costs of weapons provided to Ukraine. The fund is financed separately from the EU budget and contributions by member states are determined based on a gross national income (GNI) distribution key. Ireland would contribute circa 1.9% of the total or €0.34 billion.

As this fund is enabled by a so-called Special Instrument the amounts reserved for these instruments can never go above the own resources ceiling. So, the maximum total amount that can be used for the growing number of special instruments in 2021–2027 will be around €21 billion. But, no doubt if additional funds are required, some imaginative solution will be found.

The EPF also set aside approximately €2 billion for production modernisation. The Ammunition Support Act (ASAP), approved by EU member states in May 2023, governs the allocation of funds. By the end of 2025, Europe is expected to produce 2 million ammunition units per year.

The EU Commission also launched a programme to strengthen the EU defence industry through common procurement (EDIRPA) in autumn 2023, as well as the European Defence Fund’s fourth annual work programme. The total budget for these programmes is nearly €2 billion.   Furthermore, on March 5, this year, the Commission unveiled the European Defence Industry Strategy for the first time. It includes the European Defence Industry Development Programme for 2025–2027. The programme will be funded with €1.5 billion. 

The EPF was established under the Common Foreign and Security Policy to fund the EU’s military needs. Until February 24, 2022, the majority of the fund’s expenditures were directed toward African and Middle Eastern countries. These were primarily expenditures for cybersecurity, medical care, and other non-lethal equipment aimed at improving third-country military capacity. EPF programmes provided funding to the armed forces of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and Mozambique.

The EFP is not the only tool for increasing EU militarisation and providing military assistance to Ukraine. The European Commission launched a programme to strengthen the European defence industry through common procurement (EDIRPA) in autumn 2023, as well as the European Defence Fund’s fourth annual work programme. The total budget for these programmes is nearly €2 billion

Furthermore, on March 5, this year, the EU Commission unveiled the European Defence Industry Strategy for the first time. It includes the European Defence Industry Development Programme for 2025–2027. The programme will be funded with €1.5 billion.

It is disturbing that this considerable sum is being used mainly to effectively pursue a proxy EU war against Russia, now that the US is currently withholding support. There’s not a mention of this dangerous development in the media.

Perhaps, more importantly, there’s the question of a neutral country being involved directly in funding one side in a conflict. Add to this, the Irish equipment currently deployed on the front line and it’s hardly surprising that the media is silent. At the very least, this development should give rise to a special Dáil debate which would alert the electorate. Despite the Irish public’s obvious sympathy for the situation of Ukrainians, they also value our neutrality – and there’s an election in the offing!