MEPs at the European Parliament on Tuesday invoked an urgent procedure to fast-track approval of a support loan for Ukraine. It means that MEPs will vote on a proposal for a €90bn loan to Kyiv as soon as at this week‘s plenary session.
The move to apply the parliamentary ‘urgency procedure’ underlines Brussels’s resolve to sustain Kyiv’s defence amid Russia’s ongoing war. The loan will be raised through common EU borrowing on capital markets, with repayments guaranteed by available ‘headroom’ in the EU budget. Member states will thus provide aid without immediately draining shared resources. The package marks a shift from traditional budget allocations to joint debt issuance.
“This new instrument, if approved, would provide military assistance and general budget support to the government in Kyiv, as well as support Ukraine’s defence industry and its integration into the European Defence Industrial Base,” the EP press release said. The dual aim is to shore up Ukraine’s armed forces and embed its defence firms within European supply chains.
Speeding the process
By a show of hands, MEPs backed a motion to compress the normal timetable. Lawmakers will vote tomorrow, on Wednesday 21 January, on a framework decision to apply enhanced cooperation among 24 member states. Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia have opted out of the scheme.
Once the plenary approves the enhanced cooperation, Parliament and the Council must agree the final text under the ordinary legislative procedure. Amendments to the Ukraine Facility and related regulations will proceed through conciliation, with a vote expected in early February.
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The compressed schedule reflects the urgency in Kyiv. MEPs aim to deliver funds before the European elections in June, ensuring that financial support does not stall amid political noise.
A robust pledge
Analysts caution that the loan will not end the war, but it will sustain Ukraine’s ability to fight by covering budget shortfalls and enabling arms purchases. Some observers noted that the EU chose not to tap Russia’s frozen assets for this package.
The €90bn commitment stands as Brussels’s largest single financial pledge to Ukraine. It signals that European support will extend well into 2027, regardless of peace negotiations or geopolitical shifts. In doing so, the Parliament has drawn a line under any doubt about its readiness to back Kyiv for the long haul.
