Today at 22:08
The European Parliament has approved the use of the “enhanced cooperation” procedure to move forward with a €90 billion EU support loan for Ukraine, endorsing a decision previously adopted by the European Council in December 2025.
According to UATV English, the decision was approved during a plenary session in Strasbourg, with 499 Members of the European Parliament voting in favor, 135 against, and 24 abstentions.
The EU loan package was initially agreed upon at a European Council summit in Brussels on December 18, 2025, and formally presented by the European Commission on January 14, 2026. However, because Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia declined to support the initiative, the agreement was structured under the enhanced cooperation mechanism.
This mechanism allows a group of EU member states to advance cooperation in specific areas when unanimous agreement cannot be reached. Under existing EU treaties, the use of enhanced cooperation requires the consent of the European Parliament, which has now been granted.
With parliamentary approval secured, the next steps will involve negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU under the ordinary legislative procedure to finalize the legal framework of the loan.
The vote follows a series of related decisions by the European Parliament. Earlier this week, lawmakers approved the accelerated legislative procedure for the broader EU financial support package for Ukraine and agreed to fast-track work on accompanying amendments to the Ukraine Facility, the EU’s key financial assistance mechanism for Kyiv.
If finalized, the €90 billion loan is expected to provide military assistance, general budgetary support, and backing for Ukraine’s defense industry, while also contributing to its integration into the European defense-industrial base.
