The disbursement follows a first €3.2 billion instalment to Ukraine under the dedicated Macro-Financial Assistance programme on 25 June. The Commission said further payments will be made in the coming days until the first drone tranche is fully covered, in line with Ukraine’s payment requests.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Ukraine’s ingenuity is at the heart of its success in resisting Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ingenuity we want to support.”
“Today, we are releasing a first tranche of €3.9 billion for advanced drone technology to strengthen Ukraine’s defence. And more will follow.”
“These investments will help Ukraine protect its citizens, defend its sovereignty, and reinforce Europe’s security. Europe stands firmly with Ukraine for as long it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
The Commission said Ukraine’s military edge as a country at war depends on rapid access to critical products in the required quantities and within very short timeframes. The drone funding forms part of the larger Ukraine Support Loan, which provides €30 billion for budgetary aid and €60 billion for defence support across 2026 and 2027.
In 2026, €28.3 billion of the €60 billion defence package will be disbursed to support Ukraine’s defence industrial capacity. The Commission said it is checking the contracts submitted in support of Ukraine’s request in line with the Ukraine Support Loan Regulation.
Those checks are intended to ensure that the financial assistance is used for procurement agreed with the Commission and EU Member States. Upcoming disbursements will continue to cover drone procurement and will also extend to ammunition, missiles and air defence systems.
The Commission said the financing reflects the European Union’s commitment to Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression. The wider support is intended to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities and defence industrial capacities while also helping the state continue functioning.
The Ukraine Support Loan was established by Regulation (EU) 2026/467, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in February 2026. The regulation provides for up to €90 billion in support to Ukraine through two complementary components covering defence support and broader economic resilience.
