The European Commission has taken another significant step in supporting Ukraine by transferring a substantial sum of 3.3 billion euros on 18 September. These funds are intended for the procurement of vital defence equipment, including drones and missiles. The decision was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who emphasised that Europe would continue to provide Ukraine with the necessary assistance to defend its territory and population.
This news was also confirmed by the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Serhiy Koretskyi. In his statement, he noted that the funds received would be used for priority defence needs, emphasising the importance of procuring missiles and drones to strengthen the country’s defence capabilities.
This tranche is now the fourth under the defence component of the Ukraine Support Loan programme. In total, including this payment, the European Union plans to allocate nearly 15 billion euros to Ukraine for various forms of support up to 2026.
The Ukraine Support Loan programme was designed to provide large-scale support to Ukraine during these challenging times. The total amount of aid is set at up to 90 billion euros for the period from 2026 to 2027. Of this sum, 60 billion will be directed towards defence needs, whilst 30 billion will go towards ensuring budgetary stability.
Earlier, on 11 September, the European Commission approved the allocation of over six billion euros to strengthen Ukraine’s air and missile defences. In particular, there are plans to procure PAC-3 missiles for the ‘Patriot’ systems, which will significantly strengthen the defence of the country’s airspace.
Such substantial financial support from Europe underlines Ukraine’s strategic importance and the European Union’s readiness to provide it with comprehensive assistance amid the ongoing instability.