Meloni was leading a challenge to the Council on the budget and the pact, they said, pushing against the more restrictive arguments of the ‘Frugal Four’ of Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden.
The Italian PM has reportedly asked for funding to be boosted in the budget, while the four want funds to be cut.
Meloni was seeking the support of Germany and France, with whose leaders Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz she had fruitful and productive talks ahead of the summit, the sources added.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said, “We continue to work” in reference to the multiannual budget.
“It is a difficult debate,” he continued, “[but] I am confident that in the coming hours we will be able to make a decision and be united on this issue by supporting Ukraine with increased financial assistance” and “on EU priorities”.
Meanwhile, as Michel put another billion for migrants on the table, an extraordinary ECOFIN meeting was set for December 20 by videoconference to seal the new deal on the Stability Pact.
Italy wants the pact to feature more growth stimulus alongside its renewed fiscal discipline after the COVID era waiver.
Sources said there was a hypothesis of debt interest “unbundling” and softening the impact on Italy’s accounts in the years to come.
The new Pact is expected to see the revival of the key 3 per cent budget deficit to GDP ratio, but may be more forgiving on the pace set to get down to that rate by countries that do not meet the criterion.
Meloni has said she may veto a deal that does not meet Italian expectations.
Meanwhile the Council voted, in the absence of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, to open accession talks with Ukraine, a move that Meloni has backed despite the opposition of her friend Orban.
“The European Council has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine,” President Charles Michel announced.
Orban, who had vetoed exceptions to the enlargement rules until the last minute, and who absented himself from the final vote, has been overcome, Michel said.
European sources said “nobody objected” the Council’s decision, but Orban later accused the 26 of going it alone against his wishes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s reaction was enthusiastic. “It is a victory for Ukraine,” he said.
“A victory for the whole of Europe.
“A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens.”
The Council also showed openness to accession by Moldova and granted candidate status to Georgia.
“This is a result of significant value for the European Union and for Italy, which came as a result of complex negotiations in which our country played a leading role in actively supporting both the countries of the Eastern Trio and Bosnia Herzegovina and the countries of the Western Balkans,” said Palazzo Chigi.
ANSA
