"Typical blackmail." Babiš and Fico criticized Merz for pressure on Ukraine funding

Czech and Slovak Prime Ministers Andrej Babiš and Robert Fico criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's call for all EU countries to contribute to Ukraine's budget deficit. They expressed their concerns during a joint government meeting in Bratislava, emphasizing that the EU budget already includes funds for Ukraine. Babiš argued that EU leaders should appoint representatives for peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, while Fico condemned Merz's approach as blackmail. Both leaders, along with Hungary and Bulgaria, have indicated they will not provide additional financial support to Ukraine, which faces a projected budget deficit of 70 billion euros for the next year.