EU approves €6.1 billion for Ukraine weapons, removes EU‑only sourcing rule
The €6.1 billion is the final tranche from a €28.3 billion military package; the EU removed an EU‑only sourcing rule to allow Patriots and certain drones.
The European Union has approved an additional €6.1 billion to help Ukraine buy military equipment, with a priority on Patriot interceptor missiles needed to shoot down Russian ballistic rockets.
Change to sourcing rules to allow non‑European equipment
The funds announced on Friday come from a €90 billion support loan, part of which this year includes €28.3 billion earmarked for military assistance and €16.7 billion for budget support. To permit Kyiv to acquire Patriot missiles — which are manufactured in the United States — and drones that use Chinese parts, the EU removed the previous requirement that equipment be solely of European origin.
The newly approved €6.1 billion represents the final allocation within this year’s €28.3 billion military assistance package. Disbursements will be made in stages after Brussels verifies the contracts that Kyiv signs with private suppliers.
Brussels has already paid out €8.35 billion for defence to date, and the recent decision clears the way for Kyiv to finalize purchases that had been constrained by sourcing rules.
EU officials said the step is intended to accelerate deliveries of high‑end air‑defence systems and capacity that Ukrainian forces consider critical to protect population centres and infrastructure from long‑range strikes.
Photo: ДПА)
