Six EU states warn they won't back the bloc's next long-term budget without deep cuts

In a letter sent in late September, the leaders of the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Austria warned they will not back the EU's 2028-2034 budget unless it is cut by "hundreds of billions" of euros and redirected toward defence and innovation. Ireland, which chairs the negotiations as Council president, still aims for a political deal by the end of the year, and the dispute is due to come up when EU leaders meet in Brussels this month.

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