Germany's Merz on EU budget: backing Ukraine is EU's collective responsibility

​German ​Chancellor ‌Friedrich Merz ​said on Tuesday it ‌is the collective responsibility for the ‌European Union to back ‌Ukraine and that support for Kyiv ⁠cannot ​be weakened.

Slovak ⁠Prime Minister Robert Fico ⁠earlier accused Merz ​of "blackmail" after Berlin ⁠pushed to link a ⁠deal ​on funding for Ukraine to ⁠talks on the ⁠EU's ⁠next long-term budget.