On 14 October 2026, the European Commission paid Ukraine €2.86 billion from the defence part of the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan. The money will go to drones, air defence systems, missiles, radars, electronic warfare systems and ammunition.
— Europe’s steadfast support matters more than ever to help Ukraine protect its skies and save lives, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The loan has an indicative split of €60 billion for defence and €30 billion for budget support over 2026–2027. The Commission plans to pay out €28.3 billion in defence funding this year. It says €12.54 billion of that is still available for the rest of 2026. More defence payments will follow in the coming weeks.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pointed to Russia’s escalating aerial attacks on civilians and infrastructure.
— Ukraine Support Loan proves to be effective mechanism to strengthen the country’s defence. The formula ‘Peace through strength’ will be implemented by ramping up strength on Ukraine’s side, said Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space.
The EU Council cleared the 2026 funding in April, as previously reported by NDS. The defence part of the loan also aims to bring Ukraine’s defence industry step by step into the European defence industrial base.