Von der Leyen announced that an additional €3.3 billion will be delivered to Ukraine next Friday, intended for the purchase of missiles and drones, in response to Russia's relentless attacks on Kyiv, which aim to complicate the daily lives of residents. She emphasized that Brussels remains supportive of all Ukrainians.
The Commission President mentioned that last week, EU funding for Patriot systems was approved through the Ukraine Support Loan. However, she stressed the need for more resources, indicating that Brussels had already mobilized nearly €15 billion for Kyiv this year.
Furthermore, Von der Leyen expressed willingness to use remaining SAFE program resources to initiate a new joint Defence project program between the EU and Ukraine. According to her, this would allow the integration of Ukrainian combat experience and innovation with European technology and industrial capacity.
The bloc's support, according to Von der Leyen, extends beyond the defensive sphere, also covering Ukraine's accession process. She concluded her global message by stating that Europe is advancing and that other nations should intensify their support.
Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the conversation as 'very productive' and stated that he will meet again with Von der Leyen next week in New York during the UN General Assembly. Zelensky declared on social media that they analyzed measures to ensure Ukraine's defensive resilience, highlighting the opportunity and necessity of using SAFE program resources for new Defence projects involving Ukraine and the European Union.
In parallel, international press reported that the Ukrainian government approved the budget for 2027, which requires about €45.8 billion in external financing and foresees record military spending. The document, accessible on the Ministry of Finance portal, indicates that international support needs in 2027 will total $52.6 billion (approximately €45.8 billion).
This amount must be mobilized from sources such as the European Union (EU), G7 countries, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), the United Kingdom, and other international partners. The Defence and Security sector is the largest expenditure, with €95.9 billion planned, an increase of 11.9% compared to 2026, representing 43.8% of Ukraine's GDP, an unprecedented level since the start of the war and the highest in the world.
In contrast, official Russian military spending corresponds to 5.5% of GDP in the 2026 budget, with projections of reduction for 2027, although some expenses may be obscured, according to analysis by the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
Volodymyr Zelensky had announced on Tuesday the intention to implement 'difficult and unpopular' measures to cover the budget deficit. Ukraine, highly dependent on financial assistance from its Western allies to face the Russian invasion, faces a growing economic crisis. Moscow's long-range attacks in recent months have forced the early use of funds planned for the remainder of 2026, severely affecting the metallurgy and agricultural export sectors, vital to the Ukrainian economy.
Roksolana Pidlassa, president of the Ukrainian Parliament's Budget Committee, estimated that every day of war costs Ukraine $190 million (about €165 million), an unsustainable cost for the country alone. The Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022.