EU and Ukraine say 2026 budget and defence funding needs are covered

The European Commission concluded on Thursday, 1 October, that Ukraine’s financial and military needs for 2026 are fully met after technical talks with Kyiv, Euronews reported, citing a joint statement shared by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

2026 covered, 2027 next

“Today, through coordinated joint efforts, we have identified the means to cover Ukraine’s budget and defence needs for 2026,” the Commission said, adding that steps to ensure timely release had been reconfirmed. The announcement closed a debate that began in late August when President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged allies to fill a gap his government had put near $27 billion (€23.9 billion) in defence financing — a figure EU officials were reluctant to validate and which was later discussed lower. The EU’s main assistance line remains a €90 billion support loan, with €45 billion earmarked for 2026 and €45 billion for 2027; the Commission said it would “swiftly” allocate the second half for 2027 subject to established reform conditions, and begin work on identifying additional needs while urging other partners to step up.

Kyiv’s response and wider gap

Zelenskiy praised “good results” on the format, timeline and steps for full coverage and said monthly coordination would continue. Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko has separately warned of a much larger hole for 2027 — figures around $78 billion combining budget and military needs that the Commission has not validated. Economist Oleksandra Myronenko of the Centre for Economic Strategy in Kyiv told Euronews that wartime costs are rising as in-kind military support has decreased relative to expectations when the loan was adopted.