Ukraine Secures €3.3 Billion from EU for Defense Needs
Ukraine Receives Significant Financial Support
Photo: @ians_india/X
Kyiv, September 19: Ukraine has successfully secured a new tranche of 3.3 billion euros (approximately 3.78 billion US dollars) from the European Union, aimed at addressing critical defense requirements, as announced by Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi on Friday.
The allocated funds will primarily be utilized for the acquisition of missiles and drones, as detailed by Koretskyi via Telegram.
This financial support is part of the Ukraine Support Loan initiative, which anticipates providing up to 45 billion euros in aid to Ukraine by 2026, encompassing both defense and budgetary assistance.
The EU finalized a substantial 90-billion-euro support loan for Ukraine back in April, with the objective of delivering budgetary and defense support throughout 2026 and 2027, according to reports from a news agency.
In a related development, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that it had summoned the British charge d'affaires in Russia, Danae Dholakia, in response to the UK's increased military aid to Ukraine.
On August 24, the office of British Prime Minister Andy Burnham revealed that the government had permitted defense contractor MBDA to disclose classified information regarding British components of the long-range SCALP missile, which will assist Kyiv in weapon assembly.
The Russian ministry criticized Britain's aggressive stance on Ukraine, asserting that it aims to prolong and escalate the conflict, thereby diminishing the chances for a political resolution.
During the meeting, Dholakia was informed that Russia retains the right to undertake necessary retaliatory actions in line with its self-defense rights.
The ministry also cautioned that any British military installations in Ukraine used for launching strikes against Russia would be considered legitimate targets.
Furthermore, the Russian Defence Ministry reported on Friday that its forces executed two large-scale and five targeted strikes against Ukrainian defense facilities, logistics centers, energy, and transport infrastructure, successfully capturing ten settlements over the past week.
Targeted sites included defense, metallurgical, motor, and electronic enterprises, military logistics centers, fuel-power facilities, railway and road infrastructures, drone manufacturing workshops, and storage sites for ammunition and fuel, as well as temporary deployment areas for Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries.
In terms of maritime operations, the ministry noted that 12 Ukrainian cargo ships, two ferries, one tanker, and one tugboat were struck.
Throughout the week, Russian air defense systems successfully intercepted 44 guided aerial bombs, eight HIMARS rockets, two Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 5,706 Ukrainian drones.