EU transfers four billion dollars to Ukraine for drones, missiles and Gripen fighters
The payment is part of a 90 billion-euro loan approved earlier this year; Brussels has already sent several instalments for both government support and defence.
The European Union paid four billion dollars to Ukraine to purchase additional drones, missiles, air defence systems and Swedish fighter jets "Gripen", the European Commission said.
Part of a large loan
The payment is part of a €90 billion loan that the EU approved at the start of the year. On 25 June the European Commission transferred the first instalment of €3.2 billion to finance the work of the Ukrainian government.
On 30 June the EU transferred €3.9 billion for the purchase of drones and an additional €1.1 billion for other defence needs. A European Commission spokesperson said that with these transfers the total amount paid for defence purposes has reached €8.5 billion and that a total of €28 billion is expected to be disbursed by the end of the year. The spokesperson added: "We face another very intense summer."
The payment comes amid renewed Russian air strikes on Ukraine. At least 14 people were killed overnight, including one in Kyiv, one day after the Ukrainian president warned that a "massive" attack was expected.
The attacks spread as far as the western city of Lviv, prompting neighbouring Poland to scramble fighter jets to secure its airspace. The events highlight increased concern among EU member states over the scale of the operations.
Officials in Brussels say the money is intended to strengthen Ukraine's defence, protect critical infrastructure and replenish stocks in the face of intensified fighting this summer.
Photo: MPorciusCato / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
