The European Commission is disbursing €3.3 billion to Ukraine for defence procurement, covering drones and missiles under the EU’s €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan.
The payment is the fourth made under the defence component of the loan. With the latest disbursement, the Commission says it will have paid almost €15 billion to Ukraine this year, covering both defence and wider support.
The €90 billion loan covers Ukraine’s financing needs for 2026 and 2027, with €60 billion allocated to defence procurement support and €30 billion for budgetary assistance.
Von der Leyen announces further defence cooperation
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe would continue providing Ukraine with the support needed to defend its people and territory.
Following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, von der Leyen said that more support was needed despite recent EU funding for Patriot systems.
She also said the Commission was ready to use remaining funds under the SAFE instrument to launch a new joint European-Ukrainian defence industry programme.
The proposed cooperation would focus on developing an affordable European air and missile defence system based on the existing Freya project. The initiative would combine Ukrainian operational experience with European industrial and technological capabilities.
Ukraine reforms also discussed
During the call, von der Leyen and Zelensky also discussed reforms required in Ukraine’s parliament to unlock further funding and support the country’s path towards EU membership.
The latest EU funding follows a series of defence-related disbursements under the support loan. The Commission has previously approved funding for drones, missiles, ammunition, air defence systems and radars.
Von der Leyen is due to travel to New York next week for the UN General Assembly. She said her message to Ukraine’s allies would be that Europe is taking further steps and that other partners should increase their support.
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