Key facts
- The EU will disburse approximately 3 billion euros in defense support to Ukraine this week.
- The funding is part of a larger 90 billion euro support loan for Kyiv.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the disbursement on Oct. 11.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the EU fully supports Ukraine's defense.
- The EU loan was approved in April 2026 and aims to cover Kyiv's financial and defense needs until the end of 2027.
- 15.4 billion euros of the defense funding remains to be paid out.
The European Union is preparing to disburse approximately 3 billion euros in defense support to Ukraine this week, as confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on October 11. This significant tranche is part of a larger 90 billion euro support loan for Kyiv, which was approved in April 2026 and is intended to cover a substantial portion of Ukraine's financial and defense requirements through the end of 2027.
Following a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Zelensky expressed gratitude for the concrete steps taken to support Ukraine's defense. Von der Leyen, in a post on X, stated that the European Commission "fully supported" Zelensky's calls for a ceasefire and reiterated the EU's commitment to providing the funding to bolster Ukraine's defenses and protect its skies.
Of the 90 billion euro loan, 28.3 billion euros were earmarked for defense in 2026. Ukraine has submitted and received approval from Brussels for its spending plans for this defense allocation. The EU most recently disbursed a 1.24 billion euro tranche of support on October 7. Currently, 15.4 billion euros of the defense funding remains to be disbursed, contingent on Kyiv submitting receipts for verification by Brussels. The overall loan package also includes 17.1 billion euros for budgetary support, tied to Ukraine's implementation of political and economic reforms. Despite this extensive support, Ukraine anticipates a $42 billion budget shortfall in 2027.