The bloc will reportedly revamp its multi-billion-euro program to secure “strategic interests”
The EU will review its multi-billion-euro foreign aid program to better align with its own policy interests amid budgetary constraints, rising defense expenditures, and the looming threat of US tariffs, Bloomberg has revealed.
The decision follows US President Donald Trump’s move to freeze most American foreign aid, citing corruption and uncontrolled spending within USAID – Washington’s primary tool for funneling political funding abroad. The bulk of US assistance is currently under a three-month review to ensure it “aligns with American interests.”
Amid concerns over its increasingly stretched budget and competing priorities such as the Ukraine conflict, the European Commission (EC) is also looking to restructure its external aid program, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing an internal draft document.
The bloc aims to take a more transactional approach to aid, using it to “secure strategic interests,” strengthen alliances, and ensure access to critical raw materials while maintaining its reputation as a “reliable partner,” the newspaper wrote.
The EU is collectively the world’s largest provider of foreign aid, spending nearly €96 billion ($99 billion) in 2023, according to an EC report from last year. A significant portion of this aid has been directed to Kiev since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, with total EU contributions now nearing $145 billion, according to the EC.
Several EU member states, including Slovakia and Hungary, have halted military aid to Kiev and called for redirecting further Ukraine-related assistance toward domestic concerns.
According to Bloomberg, the EU will present proposals for restructuring its foreign aid program in the coming weeks, with a focus on fine-tuning its seven-year budget for the period from 2028 to 2034. Competing with the US and China as a leading global donor, the EU seeks to expand its influence in resource-rich regions such as Africa and South America, the newspaper said.
Earlier this month, Trump suggested that Kiev should grant Washington access to rare-earth metal deposits in exchange for continued US aid, arguing that it would serve as a “guarantee” of returns on American investments. The US president has also repeatedly pressed NATO’s European members to increase their defense spending and has threatened tariffs that could impact key European metal exports.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited the protection of people in Donbass as a key reason for launching the military operation in Ukraine. Resources in these territories play a major role in NATO member states’ support for Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in October 2024. “Their discourse revolves around territory and resources that they require in America,” he said. “Our concern is not territories, but people.”
