EU to Allocate €3.3B to Ukraine for Drones, Missiles

The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion (roughly $3.7 billion) to Ukraine for the procurement of missiles and drones on Friday, Sept. 18.The decision was announced by EU Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen after a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.According to the readout published Thursday, Sept. 17, Brussels was prepared to use remaining funds from the EU’s SAFE defense program – an EU defense financing initiative worth €150 billion (about $172 billion) – to launch additional EU-Ukraine defense projects.“We want to develop together a European air and missile defence system, building on our joint anti-ballistic FREYJA system, so that we can combine Ukraine’s battlefield experience and innovation with Europe’s technology and industrial strength,” Von der Leyen said.Defense funding under discussionIn a statement published on Telegram, Zelensky described the conversation as “very productive,” thanking the EU Commission President for raising Ukraine’s security issues in her address to the European Parliament.“The initiative to use remaining funds from the SAFE program to support new defense projects by Ukraine and the European Union is very timely and genuinely needed,” Zelensky said.“It is important to implement it.”The leaders agreed to meet in New York on the sidelines of next week’s 81st UN General Assembly, held between Sept. 21-23.US President Donald Trump is also expected to attend the gathering. Other Topics of Interest Russia Holds Early State Duma Voting in Occupied Ukraine as Armed Troops Accompany Mobile Polling Teams The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) urged residents of occupied areas not to partake in rigged elections as the action may carry criminal liability of up to 10 years in prison. Earlier this month, Zelensky named New York as a possible venue for a new round of talks with Trump and the US negotiating team, as Kyiv seeks to build on renewed diplomatic momentum following US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s meetings in Kyiv and Moscow through Sept. 5-6.Five projects advanceSeparately on Wednesday, the EU ambassadors approved plans for five European Defense Projects of Common Interest proposed in July, covering air defense, maritime security, space, drones and counter-drone capabilities.According to Ukrinform, each project is set to receive €60 million (about $69 million) in initial funding, or €300 million (roughly $344 million) in total.The decision is still awaiting a formal vote by the EU defense ministers, scheduled for Sept. 28.Ukraine is expected to participate in four of the five projects.On Sept. 8, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara said contracts are being signed with allies for the supply of about 1,000 Patriot missiles using the EU loan. Around the same time, Germany announced it would urgently transfer the PAC-2 missiles to Ukraine from its own Bundeswehr stocks, as Kyiv urgently needs them to protect its skies against Russian ballistic missiles.On Sept. 11, the EU approved a €6.1 billion ($7 billion) defense package for Ukraine, allowing Kyiv to purchase the PAC-3 Patriot interceptors amid a global shortage.“We have already mobilised nearly €15 billion (approximately $17 billion) to Ukraine this year. More is coming,” Von Der Leyen said.“My message to Ukraine’s friends around the world will be simple: Europe is stepping up. Now others must step up their support too,” she continued. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.