The first tranche of the European Union's new loan package for Ukraine will not include the €5.9 billion previously planned for the purchase and production of drones. Instead, the funds will go to budget support for Kyiv, UNN reports, citing Euractiv.
Details
According to sources, the first payment will amount to €3.2 billion. It is expected to be officially announced on June 26 during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, Poland. This amount will be part of the €30 billion in macro-financial assistance earmarked for Ukraine for 2026–2027.
Earlier, the EU reported that the first tranche of €5.9 billion was planned to be used for the purchase of drones with components manufactured outside the EU or Ukraine. However, this scheme was temporarily abandoned due to the need to ensure proper control over the use of funds.
New support packages
At the same time, Brussels is already preparing new support packages for Ukraine's defense needs. In particular, they will concern funding for the purchase of ammunition, air defense systems, and drones. According to sources, the next defense tranche could be announced in the coming days.
To receive funding, Ukraine must provide the European Commission with an assessment of its defense needs. Priority will be given to the purchase of European-made weapons, although mechanisms are in place that allow the purchase of certain types of weapons outside the EU as well. The Ukrainian delegation at the conference in Gdańsk will be led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
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