“90 billion — and already ambitious”: EU Commission responds to Ukraine’s request for additional funding

September 01, 2026 – The European Union has made it clear that it does not intend to revise the terms of the €90 billion loan for Ukraine, despite Kyiv’s growing defense needs. This was stated by European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho at a briefing in Brussels, responding to questions from journalists.

For Ukrainian officials, this response was a signal: there is no point in counting on an automatic increase in aid. They will either have to seek compromises or convince partners to speed up the unblocking of other funding sources.

When asked whether the Commission considers the loan sufficient to cover Ukraine’s growing war-related needs, Pinho, according to Ukrinform, responded rather firmly:

“The allocation plan for €90 billion is already extremely ambitious.”

She also recalled that Brussels had initially assumed that this two-year loan would cover only two-thirds of Ukraine’s financial needs. The remaining third, according to European partners’ plan, was to be covered by other donors.

Funds tied to reforms — and that’s a matter of principle

The loan in question was approved early this year and provides for the allocation of €45 billion in 2026 and another €45 billion in 2027. The first tranches, it should be recalled, have already been disbursed: in June, Ukraine received €3.2 billion in budget support and nearly another €4 billion for drones.

But the main point Brussels insists on is linking funding to reforms.

“These payments are tied to the reforms being implemented in Ukraine, and this is a critically important aspect,”

Pinho emphasized.

In other words, the money is not unconditional — it is tied to specific changes. And for now, the Commission is satisfied with the progress — “very good progress,” in their assessment.

What about Zelenskyy’s request?

At the end of August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a state budget deficit of $27 billion for this year and proposed two options: either to use frozen Russian assets or to receive part of the EU loan for 2027 already in 2026.

The Commission’s response to the second option is effectively a veto. Brussels is not ready to break the two-year payment schedule.

“We are focused on delivering what we have already promised, and that in itself is a very ambitious plan,”

Pinho stated bluntly.

Behind the scenes, the explanation was that if Ukraine receives part of the funds ahead of schedule, it would merely shift the problem to the next year — the deficit would arise in 2027.

Other sources remain uncertain

Hope remains for frozen Russian assets. Four EU countries — Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain — recently called for a return to discussions on this issue. However, Belgium, where a significant portion of these funds is held, is categorically opposed unless the burden of potential legal consequences is evenly distributed among all member states.

Another channel is the European Peace Facility. Today, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas stated that additional funding, particularly for missile defense, could be provided if these funds are finally unblocked.

The bottom line

Brussels’ position is: “We are already giving a great deal, let us calmly deliver on what we have promised.” The Commission acknowledges Ukraine’s serious needs but emphasizes that €90 billion is a historically significant package.

Ukraine will apparently have to seek other sources to cover its budget gaps or negotiate with partners to shift Belgium’s position on the use of Russian assets.

In the meantime, discussions on additional funding will continue at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers, scheduled for September 2 in Ireland.