EC pays out 3.9B euro for drones under 90B euro Ukraine Support Loan
The European Commission (EC) began on June 30 paying out 3.9 billion euro as the first payment under the first tranche of about six billion euro dedicated to drone procurement, a key capability enabling Ukraine to withstand Russia’s war of aggression, the EC said.
The payout follows the Commission’s first 3.2 billion euro instalment to Ukraine under the dedicated Macro-Financial Assistance programme made on June 25.
Further payments will be made in the coming days until the first tranche for drones is fully covered, in accordance with Ukraine’s payment requests, the EC said.
EC President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Ukraine’s ingenuity is at the heart of its success in resisting Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ingenuity we want to support.
“Today, we are releasing a first tranche of 3.9 billion euro for advanced drone technology to strengthen Ukraine’s defence. And more will follow,” Von der Leyen said.
“These investments will help Ukraine protect its citizens, defend its sovereignty, and reinforce Europe’s security. Europe stands firmly with Ukraine for as long it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace,” she said.
The EC said that as a country at war, Ukraine’s military edge depends on the rapid availability of critical products in the required quantities and within very short timeframes.
This is part of the larger 90 billion euro Ukraine Support Loan, which provides 30 billion euro for budgetary aid and 60 billion euro for defence support across 2026 and 2027. In 2026, 28.3 billion euro of the 60 billion euro defence package will be paid out to support Ukraine’s defence industrial capacity.
In line with the Ukraine Support Loan Regulation, the Commission is checking the contracts provided in support of this request. These checks ensure that the financial assistance is used for procurement agreed with the EC and EU member states, the EC said.
“Upcoming disbursements will continue to cover drone procurement while extending to ammunition, missiles and air defence systems, reflecting the Union’s steadfast commitment to Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression,” the statement said.
(Photo: EC Audiovisual Service)
