EU to send Ukraine additional €3.3 billion for missiles and drones
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced, after a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, that the EU would allocate an additional €3.3 billion to Ukraine for missiles and drones, to be disbursed on Friday, 18 September, under the Ukraine Support Loan program. The announcement was paired with a proposed new joint EU–Ukraine defense initiative, funded through remaining SAFE program funds, aimed at developing a European air and missile defense system based on the joint Freya/Freyja anti-ballistic system.
Key points
- EU will allocate an additional €3.3 billion to Ukraine for missiles and drones, to be disbursed on Friday, 18 September, under the Ukraine Support Loan program.
- The tranche is the fourth payment under the defense track of the Ukraine Support Loan program; total EU disbursements to Ukraine in 2026 reach nearly €15 billion after this payment.
- Ukraine Support Loan provides up to €90 billion for 2026–2027, with €60 billion for defense and €30 billion for budget support; the first €3.2 billion tranche was received in June 2026.
- The previous week the EU approved financing for Patriot systems including PAC-3 missiles — the first time the EU directly financed such supply to Ukraine's Armed Forces.
- Von der Leyen announced readiness to use remaining SAFE program funds to launch a new program of joint EU–Ukraine defense projects, including a European air and missile defense system based on the joint Freya/Freyja anti-ballistic system.
- Von der Leyen said she would attend the UN General Assembly in New York the following week with the message: "Europe is stepping up its efforts. Now others must step up their support too."
- Von der Leyen and Zelensky discussed reforms the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, must adopt to unlock further financing and advance Ukraine's EU membership path; Zelensky reported plans to meet von der Leyen in New York.
Why it matters
The €3.3 billion tranche is part of a €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan program for 2026–2027 and is the fourth payment under its defense track, bringing total EU disbursements to Ukraine in 2026 to nearly €15 billion. The funds are directed at priority defense needs — missiles, drones and, according to one source, ammunition — which Ukraine's leadership has identified as critical to resisting Russian strikes on cities such as Kyiv. The announcement is paired with a proposed new joint EU–Ukraine defense initiative, financed through remaining SAFE program funds, aimed at developing a European air and missile defense system based on the joint Freya/Freyja anti-ballistic system and reducing European dependence on US Patriot interceptors. Von der Leyen said she would carry the message that Europe is stepping up and others must now do the same to the UN General Assembly.
What happened
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky on the evening of 17 September. After the call, she announced that the EU would allocate an additional €3.3 billion to Ukraine for missiles and drones, to be transferred on Friday, 18 September, under the Ukraine Support Loan program. According to Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, the funds were received on 18 September and will be directed to priority defense needs, including missiles and drones. Von der Leyen said Russia continues to systematically strike Kyiv to make daily life unbearable for residents, and expressed EU solidarity with Ukrainians. She also announced EU readiness to use remaining funds from the SAFE program to launch a new program of joint EU–Ukraine defense projects, with a central goal of jointly developing a European air and missile defense system based on the joint anti-ballistic system Freya/Freyja, combining Ukraine's combat experience with European technological and industrial capabilities. Von der Leyen and Zelensky discussed reforms that the Verkhovna Rada must adopt to unlock further financing and advance Ukraine's EU membership path. Zelensky reported that the two agreed to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York the following week, where von der Leyen plans to call on Ukraine's international partners to step up support.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources lead with the €3.3 billion tranche and frame it as a direct, tangible result of the Zelensky–von der Leyen phone call, emphasizing that Ukraine has already received the funds. Several Ukrainian outlets quote Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky confirming receipt of the tranche and specifying that the money will go to priority defense needs including missiles and drones, foregrounding domestic political ownership of the aid delivery. Coverage ties the new tranche to the broader context — the prior week's EU approval of Patriot/PAC-3 financing, the €6.1 billion air-defense package approved on 11 September, and the Verkhovna Rada's ratification of Ukraine's participation in the European Defense Fund — connecting military assistance to Ukraine's EU accession path. Ukrainian outlets also foreground Zelensky's planned meeting with von der Leyen at the UN General Assembly as a venue for pressing international partners to increase support.
How international sources describe it
The single international source in this set (an Azerbaijan-based, English-language agency) frames the story as an EU transfer of €3.3 billion for missiles and drones scheduled for 18 September, with less emphasis on Ukrainian political reaction or domestic context. International framing places the announcement in the context of an ongoing conversation between von der Leyen and Zelensky covering defense support, Russia's strikes on Kyiv, planned Patriot financing and joint defense projects including the Freya/Freyja air and missile defense initiative. Less prominence is given to Ukrainian parliamentary ratification steps or to the role of a named Ukrainian Prime Minister in confirming receipt of the tranche.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on whether the €3.3 billion will also cover ammunition: most describe the funds as being 'for missiles and drones' only, while one source (article 24517) says the funds will also be used for ammunition to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities. The spelling of the joint anti-ballistic missile system varies across sources between 'Freya' and 'Freyja'. One Ukrainian source names Ukraine's Prime Minister as 'Serhiy Koretsky' (also spelled 'Koretskyi') reporting receipt of the tranche, while most sources attribute public statements on the call to President Zelensky and do not name a Prime Minister.
Background
The Ukraine Support Loan program provides up to €90 billion for 2026–2027, with €60 billion earmarked for defense needs (including drones) and €30 billion for budget support; the first €3.2 billion tranche was received in June 2026 and repayments are planned to be covered from future Russian reparations. SAFE (Security Action for Europe) is an EU defense credit instrument with a volume of up to €150 billion. The Verkhovna Rada adopted a law ratifying Ukraine's agreement with the EU on participation in the European Defense Fund (EDF). Earlier in September, the European Commission approved €6.1 billion for Ukraine's air and missile defense, and the Committee of EU member state representatives pre-approved five European Defense Projects of Common Interest at €60 million each.