The adoption of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the European Union's long-term spending plan, is one of the most sensitive political issues in the bloc. The negotiations are currently entering a critical phase. The question is not only how much the EU will cost its member states from 2028 to 2035, but also what they will receive in return. For the EU institutions, it is also a matter of external autonomy: "In a time of geopolitical instability, the budget will allow Europe to shape