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Von der Leyen Activates €90 Billion EU Ukraine Loan With €1 Billion Drone Funding
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The European Union has released a new installment of military assistance worth €1 billion ($1.14 billion) to Ukraine for the purchase of drones under the Support for Ukraine Loan for 2026–2027.
This latest funding announcement came during a joint press conference in Kyiv on July 15. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the EU’s broader €90 billion ($102.91 billion) loan program is now fully operational.
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“Our support loan for Ukraine of €90 billion is fully operational. More than a third will be invested in defense production for Ukraine alone,” Ursula von der Leyen stated during her speech in Kyiv.
“And today, I am pleased to announce a new payment of another €1 billion – specifically for drones.” Commenting on the broader scope of future EU military assistance, she added, “This is only the beginning.”
On June 30, the European Union began disbursing the first €3.9 billion ($4.46 billion) tranche from a dedicated €6 billion ($6.86 billion) drone fund under the broader Ukraine Support Loan program. The funding is intended to support the purchase of advanced drone technologies for Ukraine’s defense, according to Ukrinform.
Separately, the EU recently approved financial plans totaling €10 billion ($11.43 billion) to purchase additional drones, missiles, and fighter jets.
Of the overall €90 billion ($102.91 billion) loan package, €60 billion ($68.61 billion) is earmarked strictly for defensive assistance, while the remaining €30 billion ($34.30 billion) will go toward direct state budget support. During her press conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the current disbursements are only the beginning of a long-term integration between the defense industries of Ukraine and the European Union.
Beyond defense funding, the joint press conference highlighted upcoming political developments within Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Serhii Koretskyy, the current head of the state oil and gas company Naftogaz, as the most qualified candidate for the position of Prime Minister.
Zelenskyy also announced that diplomatic reshuffles are expected at several Ukrainian embassies, noting that these changes will extend beyond the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States, although the final plans have not yet been completed.
On July 15, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with the newly established Order of Europe during ceremonies in Kyiv marking the Day of Ukrainian Statehood and the anniversary of the Christianization of Kyivan Rus.
Zelenskyy signed the decree introducing the state award right after Ukraine's parliament passed the authorizing legislation a day prior. Von der Leyen, who traveled to Kyiv on her 11th visit since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, became the inaugural recipient of the distinction, which was created to honor both Ukrainian and foreign nationals for their contributions to Ukraine's European integration and national security.
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