The funding includes another tranche under the first procurement schedule for drones. It also covers additional systems, including long-range jet-powered drones and missiles.
The Commission said the payment was intended to accelerate Ukraine’s access to military equipment during its war with Russia. Further financing for drones, ammunition, air defence and missiles is expected to be approved and released in the coming weeks.
“Today, we are investing an additional €3.47 billion to help protect Ukraine’s skies. With this new disbursement under our €90 billion loan package, we are helping Ukraine defend its people,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“We are also bringing our defence industries closer together, combining Europe’s industrial scale with Ukraine’s unmatched innovation. This is our new Drone Deal taking shape,” von der Leyen said.
“And let this new support send a clear message: every Russian strike strengthens Ukraine’s determination to be free and our determination to stand with Ukraine, for as long as it takes,” she said. The Commission presented the payment as supporting both Ukraine’s immediate defence requirements and closer industrial cooperation with Europe.
The latest tranche follows three earlier payments made during June and July. The Commission disbursed €3.2 billion under its Macro-Financial Assistance programme on 25 June.
It then released €3.9 billion through the defence window on 30 June and another €1.1 billion on 15 July. The new €3.47 billion payment brings the programme’s recent defence disbursements to €8.47 billion.
The European Union plans to disburse €28.3 billion during 2026 to support Ukraine’s defence industrial capacity. The allocation is expected to be finalised by September, with payments continuing until the end of the year.
The wider Ukraine Support Loan allocates €60 billion to defence capabilities and industrial capacity. A further €30 billion will support Ukraine’s budget, public services and economic resilience.
A Council decision adopted on 23 April made up to €45 billion available to Ukraine in 2026. That figure includes €28.3 billion for defence industrial capacity and €16.7 billion in budget support.
The budget component is divided equally between additional financing for the Ukraine Facility and a new Macro-Financial Assistance operation. Each mechanism can provide up to €8.35 billion.
The Commission said the European Union and its member states had provided more than €220 billion in overall support to Ukraine and Ukrainians since Russia began its war. The total includes €3.8 billion generated from proceeds linked to immobilised Russian assets.
Source: European Commission (press release).
