Ukraine Receives $3.8 Billion in Loans From European Union for Defense

The European Union (EU) has sent another disbursement to Ukraine totaling 3.3 billion euros ($3.78 billion) from its Ukraine Support Loan, ⁠which Kyiv says will be used for priority defense needs.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Sept. 18 post on X that the funds would be used “to buttress our defense, specifically through missiles and drones.”

The Ukraine Support Loan is a 90 billion euro ($103.27 billion) support package from the EU for Ukraine covering 2026 and 2027, 60 billion euros ($68.84 billion) of which is earmarked for defense spending.

For 2026, the European Commission will be sending Kyiv a total of 28.3 billion euros ($32.47 billion) of the defense portion of the package.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that she had discussed this most recent disbursement with Zelenskyy.

“Russia is relentlessly targeting Kyiv, trying to make daily life impossible for its inhabitants,” she said, referencing Moscow’s recent focus on launching missile and drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital.

“We stand with them. And with all Ukrainians.”

Last week, the EU had approved funding through the loan for Kyiv to buy 1,000 missiles for its U.S.-made Patriot air defense system, which Ukraine uses to defend itself from Russian aerial attacks—particularly against high-speed, long-range ballistic missiles.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said on Sept. 8 that delivery of that order will take time, so Kyiv will need missiles from allies’ stockpiles before the start of winter.

The ministry also called for more urgent aid to fill a defense funding gap needed for more drones.

During the Defense Contact Group virtual meeting, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that Berlin would be sending PAC-2 interceptor missiles for the Patriot system to Kyiv from its national ​stocks.

He also said Germany would continue to supply drones and long-range ammunition to Ukraine, as well as expand deliveries of ‌air-to-air ⁠missiles.

Danish Aid Package

Also on Friday, the Danish government said it was going to speed up the delivery of a donation to Ukraine worth an estimated 1.8 billion ​Danish crowns ($276 million) to be used for air defenses, after a Russian warship fired ‌flares in the direction of a Danish military helicopter earlier in the week.

“If the Russians think they ‌can ⁠rattle us … then our response is to ramp up our support for Ukraine faster than we had intended,” Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus told ​reporters on Sept. 18.

On Monday, Copenhagen said a Russian frigate had fired without warning at the craft as it tried to photograph the ship in international waters.

Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin said in a statement that Moscow will investigate the incident, accusing Denmark of acting dangerously.

“This is not the first time Danish Air Force helicopters have conducted dangerous maneuvers near Russian military vessels located on the high seas and outside Danish territorial waters,” Barbin said.

Denmark summoned the ambassador over the incident.

Reuters contributed to this report.