European Commission approves 6.1 billion euro defense aid for Ukraine

The European Commission officially approved an additional 6.1 billion euros in funding for Ukraine on September 11, 2026. This financial package is designated for the acquisition of essential military equipment, specifically focusing on air and anti-aircraft defense systems, ammunition, drones, and electronic warfare capabilities.

A key element of this approval is the authorization for Kyiv to procure PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot long-range surface-to-air missile systems, following a consensus among EU member states reached on September 7. The funding is sourced from a 90 billion euro support loan to Ukraine and includes five specific deviations from standard eligibility criteria. These deviations allow for the purchase of domestically produced drones and U.S.-made equipment, including Patriot missiles via the NATO PURL mechanism. With this decision, the 28.3 billion euro budget allocated for Ukraine's defense support in 2026 has been fully distributed.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that this aid will significantly bolster Ukraine's air defense against Russian attacks. Since 2022, the European Union and its member states have provided 220.2 billion euros in total support, with 3.8 billion derived from frozen Russian assets.