EU disburses $1.38B to Ukraine for drones, missiles

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that Brussels has released €1.24 billion ($1.38 billion) in defense funding to Ukraine, warning that Moscow continues its strategy to make daily life unbearable for civilians.

Defense Procurement

The funding will support the purchase of drones, drone interceptors, drone ammunition and missiles manufactured by Ukrainian defense companies, according to an official statement. The disbursement represents the first payment under the defense component of the EU's €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan, which earmarks €60 billion for defense and €30 billion for budgetary assistance over 2026 and 2027.

"Russia is continuing its deliberate strategy of terror - trying to make daily life unbearable for Ukrainians," von der Leyen said, highlighting the bloc's commitment to bolstering Ukraine's defensive capabilities. The Commission plans to disburse €28.3 billion in 2026 alone to strengthen Ukraine's defense industrial capacity, with further payments under the defense component expected in the coming weeks.

Cumulative Assistance

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the EU and its member states have provided €228.7 billion in overall support to Ukraine. This figure includes €3.8 billion generated from proceeds of immobilized Russian assets. €32.5 billion in financial support remains available to Kyiv for the remainder of 2026.