Germany and France Clash Over How Ukraine Can Spend €90B EU Loan. Germany and France are heading for a showdown in Brussels over how Ukraine can use a new €90 billion EU loan meant to support its defense - According to Politico. While France wants the money restricted to European defense companies, Germany and the Netherlands argue Kyiv must be free to buy weapons from outside the EU — including from the United States. Paris says prioritizing EU firms would strengthen Europe’s defense industry. But critics warn this could delay vital deliveries and weaken Ukraine on the battlefield. Berlin and The Hague insist Ukraine urgently needs U.S.-made air defense systems, ammunition, and spare parts that Europe cannot supply quickly enough. Most EU countries back giving Ukraine flexibility, with only a few supporting France’s strict “Buy European” push. As the European Commission prepares its final proposal, tensions are rising over whether industrial policy or Ukraine’s immediate security should come first.