Ukraine says a €3.3 billion tranche provided by the European Union under the Ukraine Support Loan will be used to fund purchases of drones and air defence systems, following talks between Defence Minister Evgeniy Khmara and European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius.
The funding was discussed during a phone call between Khmara and Kubilius focused on speeding up support for what the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence described as critical requirements of the Defence Forces.
Khmara thanked the European Union for the latest €3.3 billion tranche and said the money would be used to strengthen the protection of Ukrainian airspace through procurement of drones and air defence systems.
He said: “Speed is critical here. The faster decisions are taken and the funds come through, the faster the equipment we need reaches the battlefield and strengthens the capabilities of our troops.”
The Ukrainian Defence Ministry said Khmara also commended the European Union for the way it handles Ukrainian requests and provides funding intended to strengthen defence capabilities.
The discussion also covered the remaining shortfall in Ukraine’s defence budget for 2026 and funding requirements for 2027, with both issues raised separately during the call. The ministry said the latest EU funding would therefore support immediate purchases of drones and air defence systems while talks continue over wider defence financing requirements for the current and next financial year.
Good we’re supporting UKR better.Now we should also be rearming & preparing to defend our own shores, citizens & industry from the threat of missile, drone & sabotage attacks.
Eyup Frank62
High-ranking Kremlin officials have effectively rejected the recent US-Ukraine proposed limited energy ceasefire and continue to reiterate Russia’s unwillingness to engage in any meaningful peace negotiations
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated “absolutely” in response to a question on whether Western energy ceasefire proposals are a rhetorical exercise, effectively rejecting US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire of long-range strikes on energy infrastructure
The war criminal Putin, eager for a bilateral meeting with Trump to carve up Ukraine in the absence of Zelenskyy, immediately started his usual tactic of employing “preconditions” before any such meeting can take place. The first of which is that Putin will only meet with Zelenskyy in Moscow!
Putin’s statements demonstrate his continued unwillingness to accept any diplomatic ceasefire, or peace proposals on any terms that fall short of fulfilling Russia’s maximalist demands of Ukraine’s complete capitulation and surrender to Russia’s demands. Despite the failure of his “summer offensive” which has resulted in the Ukrainian liberation of 150 square km of occupied territory in the Donbas, Lyman and Zaphorizia sectors
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Russian milbloggers are simultaneously doubling down on baseless claims that Russian forces have encircled Ukrainian forces in various sectors of the frontline, likely as part of the Kremlin’s cognitive warfare campaign to portray Ukrainian defences as collapsing in preparation for a mass mobilisation of Russian 18yo conscripts this autun
The ISW have refuted these claims; the Russians are being forced back particularly in the Lyman sector. These intensified claims of encirclement come as Ukrainian forces have made significant advances in priority sectors of the frontline and likely aim to distract from the Ukrainian successes for domestic consumption. Don’t forget, Putin controls Russian media and internet access