Von der Leyen: EU to pay another €3.3 billion to Ukraine
Von der Leyen said she spoke by phone with Volodymyr Zelensky and announced €3.3 billion for missiles and drones.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday evening that the European Union will continue supporting Ukraine and that she had spoken by telephone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a statement published on the Commission's website she warned of the scale of the strikes on the Ukrainian capital and announced fresh funding. She said: "Russia is mercilessly striking Kyiv, trying to make everyday life impossible for its residents. We stand with them. And with all Ukrainians. Tomorrow we will pay Ukraine another €3.3 billion for the purchase of missiles and drones," von der Leyen said.
Von der Leyen added that last week the EU approved financing for Patriot systems through the Loan for the Support of Ukraine, a facility that totals €90 billion for this and next year, but that "obviously more is needed."
Commission offers further options for joint defence work
She also said the EU is ready to use remaining funds from the programme Security Action for Europe (SAFE) to launch a new joint defence-projects programme with Ukraine. The move would redirect unused SAFE resources toward cooperative military procurement and capacity-building.
The announcement underscores Brussels' continuing material backing for Kyiv amid renewed Russian attacks on the capital and other population centres. Von der Leyen's call with Zelensky came as EU institutions weigh additional steps to sustain Ukraine's defence over coming months.
Photo: European People's Party / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
