The European Union has changed the purpose of the first disbursement of a large-scale €90 billion loan for Ukraine. Instead of the expected €5.9 billion that was supposed to go to finance the production of drones, Kyiv will receive €3.2 billion in direct macro-financial support for the budget.
The European Union has changed the purpose of the first disbursement of a large-scale €90 billion loan for Ukraine. Instead of the expected €5.9 billion that was supposed to go to finance the production of drones, Kyiv will receive €3.2 billion in direct macro-financial support for the budget.
As Euractiv reports, citing three European officials, the first tranche is to be officially announced on Thursday during the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which is taking place in Gdansk, Poland.
Earlier, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission stated that the first part of the funds, amounting to almost 6 billion euros, would allow Ukraine to purchase drones. In particular, it was about devices that contain components manufactured outside the EU or Ukraine itself. However, plans changed due to technical nuances. According to the publication's sources, the delay is related to the need to set up an appropriate mechanism: the EU needs to make sure that it can properly monitor the spending of these funds.
In general, the structure of the European loan provides that 30 billion euros will be available for macro-financial assistance in 2026-2027. The vast majority of the 60 billion euros is reserved specifically for supporting Ukrainian defense. To use these funds, Kyiv must provide the European Commission with an assessment of its military needs. Priority in procurement is given to European-made weapons, but Ukraine can also use the funds to purchase weapons from other countries through a number of special exceptions.
It is expected that in the coming days the European Commission will announce the second tranche, which should cover Kyiv's defense needs, including ammunition, air defense systems, and drones.
Earlier, Honduran President Nasri Asfura said that his country plans to purchase drones from Ukraine as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking and strengthen border security.
