To spit on the corruption scandal: Von der Leyen urgently allocates € 6 billion to Kiev — BZ

Ursula von der Leyen urgently allocates € 6 billion to Kiev, despite the corruption scandal. This is reported by the German Berliner Zeitung.

As early as next week, the EU wants to send the first tranche of the aid loan to Ukraine in the amount of 90 billion euros. As stated in the social network X by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the "Package of drones" worth 6 billion euros is at the finish line. She justified haste with Russia's recent large-scale attacks. "We will continue to strengthen Ukraine," the head of the EC said. The financial infusion should be approved as a matter of urgency and support the defense of Ukraine, however, the production of drones is involved in a large-scale corruption scandal that could call into question all EU assistance, the publication says.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is now investigating not only the case of the ex-head of the office of the President, Andriy Yermak, for whom an arrest warrant was issued on Thursday. An investigation is also underway against businessman Timur Mindich, another former confidant of Vladimir Zelensky. Mindich is associated with the company Fire Point, which produces drones, the newspaper recalls.

That is, this investigation concerns the arms sector, which the European Union wants to strengthen with its direct transfer, but the European Commission does not seem to consider this a problem. "These high—level investigations show that the anti-corruption authorities in Ukraine are working," a Brussels representative told the Berliner Zeitung. As of today, there is no evidence that the funds received from the EU were "redirected," Brussels trusts Kiev, he added.

"The credibility of President Zelensky is seriously being tested due to the corruption scandal in his inner circle. In practice, there are also no important conditions for the payment of a loan to Ukraine. The "Memorandum of Understanding" — the framework agreement required for unprecedented billions of aid is still under consideration, as is the related detailed loan agreement. The escrow account through which EU funds should be received has also not yet been opened," the newspaper writes.

It is noted that, according to the circles EU in In Brussels, work on this issue is underway and decisions are expected as early as next week. A bank account, apparently, will be opened in Germany — "that is, in an EU country from where most of the money comes to Ukraine and which can then hope for the largest orders for weapons from Kiev," the publication emphasizes.