EU APPROVES NEW UKRAINE DEFENCE FUNDS AS RUSSIA INTENSIFIES AIR ATTACKS

The European Commission approved a further €6.1 billion in defence funding for Ukraine on Monday, reinforcing Europe’s military support as Kyiv warned that Russia is intensifying attacks on civilians and infrastructure. The package is intended to help Ukraine procure air defence systems, missiles, ammunition, radars and related capabilities. It comes on top of €16 billion in previously approved procurement plans, of which the European Union said €8.35 billion had already been disbursed. The new money signals that the EU is preparing for sustained war rather than a near-term settlement.

The timing was deliberate and symbolic. European leaders joined President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv for Ukraine’s Independence Day, marking the 35th anniversary of the country’s break from the Soviet Union. The anniversary took place more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion and after months of stalled U.S.-led peace efforts. Zelenskiy said Ukraine wants peace but will not surrender to Russia at any price. European leaders used the visit and aid announcement to show that Kyiv would not stand alone as Russian air attacks continue.

Air defence is the central need. Russia has exploited Ukraine’s shortage of anti-ballistic missiles and long-range interceptors to strike cities and energy infrastructure far from the front line. Ukraine has pleaded for more systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles. The EU package specifically names air defence, missiles, ammunition and radars, reflecting lessons from a war in which aerial attacks shape both military outcomes and civilian morale. Each additional battery or missile shipment can affect the ability of cities to function under repeated bombardment.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russia’s intensified attacks required Europe to help Ukraine protect its people and defend its skies. That formulation matters because it frames support as defensive rather than escalatory. Russia has repeatedly accused Western governments of prolonging the war by arming Kyiv. European officials counter that Moscow began the invasion and continues to target Ukrainian territory and infrastructure. The EU’s latest funding therefore reinforces a long-standing European position: Ukraine must have the means to resist coercion before any credible peace can emerge.

The package also reflects shifting responsibility among Ukraine’s allies. The United States remains a major player, but its diplomatic focus has been divided by the Iran conflict, Gaza diplomacy and domestic politics. European governments have increasingly emphasized that Ukraine’s security is directly tied to the continent’s security. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz co-chaired a Coalition of the Willing meeting focused on support for Kyiv. The EU funding announcement gives that political message a financial foundation.

Ukraine’s defence funding gap remains large. Zelenskiy has said the country faces a $27 billion shortfall this year, a figure that underscores the scale of the war effort. Ukraine must fund soldiers, ammunition, air defence, domestic arms production, repairs, logistics and civilian resilience. European aid does not close the gap by itself, but it can help stabilize procurement and allow Kyiv to plan more effectively. Predictable funding is often as important as headline pledges because defence contracts require lead time, production capacity and coordination across multiple governments and companies.

The aid also supports Europe’s defence industry. Funding Ukrainian procurement can generate orders for European manufacturers of missiles, radars, ammunition and related systems. That may help expand production capacity, but it also exposes limits. European stockpiles have been strained by years of deliveries to Ukraine and by the realization that continental inventories were not built for a long, high-intensity war. Burnham urged allies to dig into their own air defence stocks, but governments must balance Ukraine’s immediate needs against their own national defence requirements.

Russia is likely to condemn the package as further evidence of Western involvement. Kremlin officials have already criticized British plans to help Ukraine produce SCALP long-range cruise missiles domestically, saying such steps add fuel to the fire. Moscow may use the EU funding announcement to justify continued strikes on Ukrainian military production, energy networks or logistics. That risk does not appear to be deterring European leaders, who increasingly argue that failing to support Ukraine would invite further Russian pressure on Europe’s eastern flank.

The front line has seen no decisive shift in recent months, but the air war has intensified. Ukraine has slowed Russian advances overall while using drones and long-range strikes to hit refineries, logistics hubs and other Russian infrastructure. Russia, meanwhile, has continued large-scale attacks intended to exhaust Ukrainian air defences and undermine public morale. In that environment, the EU’s €6.1 billion package is less a single turning point than part of a continuing struggle over whether Ukraine can withstand repeated pressure through the winter and beyond.

The next issue is delivery. Approval of funding does not automatically put missiles or radars in Ukrainian hands. Procurement plans must translate into contracts, production, transportation and integration with Ukraine’s existing systems. The political message from Brussels is clear: Europe intends to keep Ukraine supplied. The operational test will be whether that money arrives quickly enough to reduce the impact of Russian air attacks and narrow Kyiv’s defence gap before the next escalation. Fact-check date: August 24, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Reuters; Associated Press.