EU Approves €6.1 Billion Defence Package for Ukraine on Independence Day

The European Union approved a €6.1 billion defence package for Ukraine on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced. She said Europe stands with Ukraine and will deliver what it needs when it needs it.

The announcement coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day and a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, on his first foreign trip in office, affirmed support for Kyiv and outlined plans to help improve Ukraine’s domestic production of long-range missiles. French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier promised to accelerate delivery of new equipment.

Norway pledged an additional 85 billion Norwegian kroner, or about $9.2 billion, in financial support for Ukraine in 2027, matching the level provided in 2026. The funds will cover military and humanitarian spending.

Russian strikes continued over the weekend. A double-tap attack on a shopping centre in central Ukraine on Friday killed 16 people and wounded 130. Ukrainian drones struck targets inside Russia, including a warehouse owned by the online retailer Ozon. Debris from one strike hit a childcare centre in Krasnodar, killing three teenagers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had opened a Pandora’s box by striking economic targets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy estimated Russia could draft more troops in 2027 to reach 500,000 through peripheral mobilisation in distant regions.

The new European funding and the presence of Western leaders underline the continuing effort to sustain Ukraine’s air defences and long-range strike capability amid a shortage of interceptor systems.