European Union member states have pledged an additional €5bn ($5.5bn) in military aid to Ukraine. 

The decision, made during discussions on March 13 following many weeks of deliberation, comes as the EU wishes to appear united in its support of Kyiv against Russia, particularly as funding and ammunition supplies from the US continue to be held up.

The aid will be provided through the European Peace Facility, a mechanism founded in 2021 aimed at assisting countries with military aid. The latest package will become a new fund – the Ukraine Assistance Fund.

"We made it," the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell tweeted, following the announcement. "The message is clear: we will support Ukraine with whatever it takes to prevail."

This new tranche of support is desperately needed by Kyiv, which is currently on the back foot in many areas on the front line.

The creation of the new package was not without its challenges, with many EU countries disagreeing over the operational framework of the European Peace Facility. For example, Germany insisted that bilateral support be considered as contributions to the fund. This was opposed by many countries, who suggested that this process could potentially allow Germany to contribute nothing to the EPF, potentially ending EU military aid. Eventually, this was agreed upon after some adjustments were made.

France also slowed down the deal by demanding that it include a rule stipulating that all the money must be spent on EU-made equipment. However, amidst fears that Europe may not have the capacity to fulfil all of Kyiv’s requests, France agreed to some flexibility within an interim period.

However, despite the EU’s success in hashing out its differences, some have raised concerns about the true nature of the aid package. According to Politico, citing sources in Brussels, the Ukraine Assistance Fund is more symbolic than substantive.

For example, the significant concession to Germany means that a considerable portion of the contributions may be in the form of discounted bilateral arms shipments rather than new financial resources. This has led to questions regarding the actual impact of the fund in providing tangible support to Ukraine's military capabilities, and nobody is sure just how much money will end up being provided to the fund.