The European Commission on Wednesday disbursed €2.86 billion ($3.2 billion) to Ukraine to fund drones, air defense systems, missiles, and other urgent military needs amid continued attacks.
– The funding was provided under the defense component of the EU’s €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan, the EU Commission said in a statement.
– The money will be used to procure drones, air defense systems, missiles, radars, electronic warfare systems, and ammunition.
– “As Russia stalls on the frontlines, it continues to escalate its aerial attacks – cruelly targeting Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. Europe’s steadfast support matters more than ever to help Ukraine protect its skies and save lives,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
– The €90 billion loan package for 2026-2027 includes €60 billion earmarked for defense and €30 billion for budgetary assistance.
– The commission said €28.3 billion was planned for disbursement in 2026 to strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial capacity, with further payments under the defense component expected in the coming weeks.
– It added that Ukraine still had €29.64 billion in financial support available for the remainder of 2026.
– Of that amount, €25.24 billion is available under the Ukraine Support Loan, including €12.54 billion for defense industrial capacity and €12.7 billion in budget support.
– Since 2022, the EU and its member states have provided €231.5 billion in overall support to Ukraine, including €3.8 billion generated from proceeds of immobilized Russian assets, according to the commission.