von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She served as Federal Minister of Defence of Germany from 2013 to 2021 before becoming President of the European Commission in December 2019.
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EU Disburses €4.36 Billion Ukraine Support Package
On November 5, the European Union disbursed €4.36 billion to Ukraine under the Ukraine Support Loan, comprising €3.7 billion in macrofinancial assistance for the 2026 state budget and €658 million for defense needs. The defense payment is the seventh disbursement along the program’s defense track, while the macrofinancial tranche followed Ukraine’s completion of all 12 agreed conditions.
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Ukraine suspends non-priority spending as PM warns of critical fiscal squeeze
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved a decision on 28 September prioritizing state expenditures toward defense, pensions, social payments and public-sector salaries, while suspending non-critical construction, reconstruction, capital repairs and beautification projects until the end of the war. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky said part of the pressure stems from delayed international financing, in part because Ukraine has not fulfilled some of its commitments to international partners. The government has identified about $7 billion through internal optimization against a reported $27 billion Ministry of Defense deficit.