More than €32 billion has now reached Kyiv through the EU’s main funding scheme. The latest payment comes as Brussels and Kyiv say they have secured the resources needed to cover Ukraine’s budget and defence needs through 2026.
The European Union sent Ukraine €2.9 billion on Friday in its latest regular payment under the Ukraine Facility instrument. It is the eighth payment from the scheme, which helps Ukraine keep its public finances and state services running while funding its reform programme. This instalment also includes almost €800 million from the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan for the first time.
“As Ukraine defends itself against Russia’s aggression, it also continues to deliver comprehensive reforms under the Ukraine Plan,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The money, she added, helps protect Ukraine’s financial stability and invest in its future reconstruction.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi thanked the EU and its member states for supporting his country, now in its fifth year of defending itself against Russian aggression. “Given the difficult financial situation, these funds are critically important for the resilience of the state, for covering key expenditures, and for allowing us to direct more of the domestic resources to defense,” he wrote on X.
84 of 95 reform milestones completed
The payment depends on Ukraine meeting the targets set out in its reform plan. To unlock it, Ukraine completed ten relevant steps covering areas including banking, energy, agriculture and transport. Koretskyi said Ukraine had completed three of them ahead of schedule.
That brings the total to 84 of the 95 milestones or around 88 per cent of those currently payable. The Commission stressed on Friday that future payments will continue to depend on Kyiv’s progress in implementing the reforms.
“We have agreed on what we have agreed, so there’s a joint defined reform agenda, and it is important that Ukraine continues to implement these reforms so that we can continue with our disbursements as well in a timely manner,” a Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari said.
Corruption remains a key test
The fight against corruption remains one of the more sensitive areas. The Commission said “there is no tolerance from our side” towards corruption, stressing that Ukraine must continue strengthening its legal and institutional framework and delivering credible results through its law-enforcement bodies.
“Fight against corruption is central to any country that wants to join the EU,” Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier pointed to the Ukraine’s long-term ambition. “Our support comes with clear rules, conditions, and obligations, and our EU financial interests are protected.”
Friday’s payment takes the total Ukraine has received under the Ukraine Facility above €32 billion. The scheme is worth more than €50 billion for 2024–2027.
Another €33.7 billion remains available for the rest of 2026. Of that, €29.3 billion comes under the Ukraine Support Loan, while €4.4 billion is earmarked for budget support through the original Ukraine Facility. “What is in the pipeline will effectively address the needs of Ukraine this year,” Mr Ujvari added.
Dispute over Ukraine’s funding gap
Earlier this week, Kyiv warned of a multibillion-euro gap in funding for its budget and defence needs. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine needed to raise another $27 billion.
On Thursday, however, the EU and Ukraine said they had jointly identified the resources needed to cover the country’s budget and defence needs for 2026. They also agreed to move quickly on releasing €45 billion from the European loan for 2027, subject to the agreed conditions.
