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EU to provide Ukraine with 3 billion euro tranche of military funding this week

• 2 min read
EU to provide Ukraine with 3 billion euro tranche of military funding this week
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen (R) shakes hands with President Volodymyr Zelensky before a meeting at the European Commission in Brussels, on Aug. 17, 2025. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images)

The European Union is set to disburse approximately 3 billion euros ($4.8 billion) of defense support to Ukraine this week as part of the bloc's 90 billion euro support loan ($100 billion) for Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 11.

"We deeply appreciate every concrete step taken to support our defense and our people," Zelensky said following a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Oct. 11.

The phone call came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump's announced an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian officials told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv had no information about the energy ceasefire, although Zelensky clarified that Ukraine would "accept it."

In a post on X following the call, von der Leyen said the European Commission "fully supported" Zelensky's calls for a ceasefire, adding that the EU would provide the funding this week "to strengthen Ukraine’s defences and protect its skies."

The EU's 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine, approved in April 2026, was intended to provide two-thirds of Kyiv's financial and defense needs until the end of 2027.

In 2026, 28.3 billion euros ($31.7 billion) was earmarked for defense, and Ukraine's plans for how to spend that money have all been submitted and approved by Brussels.

The EU most recently disbursed a 1.24 billion euro ($1.4 billion) tranche of support on Oct. 7. With the most recent disbursement, 15.4 billion euros ($17.2 billion) of the 28.3 billion euros remain to be paid out, pending Kyiv's submission of receipts, which Brussels then needs to cross-check.

In addition to the defense funding that remains to be disbursed, the sum also includes 17.1 billion euros ($19.1 billion) of budgetary support that Kyiv will receive in exchange for carrying out political and economic reforms.

Even after accounting for support from the EU's 90 billion euro ($100.9 billion) loan, Ukraine still anticipates a $42 billion hole in its 2027 budget.




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Dmytro Basmat

Senior News Editor

Dmytro Basmat is a Senior News Editor for The Kyiv Independent. He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party, and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament. Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University.

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