European Parliament lawmakers have thrown their support behind the European Commission’s new €1.2 billion support package for Ukraine.
In a vote held Monday in Strasbourg, a majority of MEPs supported the package, with 598 voting in favor, 53 voting against and 43 abstaining, the Parliament announced Tuesday morning.
In January, the European Commission proposed €1.2 billion in new funding for Ukraine, urging the bloc to act swiftly amid looming fears of a Russian attack.
The package contains a mixture of loans and grants that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed would “help Ukraine now to address its financing needs due to the conflict.” If approved, she added, the EU could begin “the rapid disbursement” to Ukraine of €600 million.
The Parliament has struggled to find unanimity over Russia. A small but vocal minority of MEPs have a pro-Russian agenda — a reality that has complicated the Parliament’s efforts to present a united front on the Ukraine crisis. All MEPs from French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen’s far-right party, National Rally, voted against the the package, as did others from the Identity and Democracy Group, a handful from the European Conservatives and Reformists and several from The Left.
Last Friday, the Council of the European Union also endorsed the macro-financial assistance to Ukraine.
Maïa de La Baume contributed reporting.