Ukraine awaits European Commission decision on next defense tranche after contract review
The European Commission plans to complete the assessment of the contracts that Ukraine has provided in the coming days to receive the next part of the first defense tranche under the EU loan of 90 billion euros. This is a tranche with a total volume of about 6 billion euros, intended for the purchase of Ukrainian-made drones.
The European Commission’s chief spokeswoman, Paula Pinho, stated that the current payment schedule should not be regarded as a delay. According to her, the first part of the larger tranche has already been provided on time.
“Let’s not talk about any delay, because in fact there is none. We have the first payment of the larger tranche. This is quite timely, and it is also a tribute to all the efforts of our Ukrainian friends,” stressed Paula Pinho.
European Commission spokesman Balazs Ujvari recalled that last week the EU had already started disbursements under the loan package, transferring €3.2 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine for its budget needs. On June 30, the European Commission also announced a €3.9 billion defense disbursement.
“We are not stopping there. Today we are taking another big step forward with a €3.9 billion defense disbursement. This will go towards drones, and we believe that this will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s capabilities on the battlefield,” Balazs Ujvari emphasized.
He explained that EU experts have to process thousands of pages of contracts sent by Ukraine, so the verification takes time.
“You can expect the next defense disbursement, I would venture to say, in the coming days. So, indeed, everything is going according to plan, and there is more to come,” added Balazs Ujvari.
The first schedule of military products planned to be purchased in 2026 is about 6 billion euros. These funds are to be directed to drones, which will be produced in Ukraine.
