European Commission Approves €6.1 Billion Defense Package for Ukraine

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday that the European Union has approved a €6.1 billion defense package for Ukraine.

"Europe stands with Ukraine and we will deliver what it needs, when it needs it," von der Leyen said.

The package comes as Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes. Russian attacks over the weekend included a double-tap strike on a shopping centre in central Ukraine that killed 16 people and wounded 130, according to Ukrainian authorities. Further strikes killed additional civilians.

Ukraine faces shortages of air-defense interceptors. Civilian deaths have risen to levels not seen since the early months of the full-scale invasion as Moscow targets energy and civilian infrastructure ahead of another winter.

Norway separately pledged more than $9 billion in support for Ukraine in 2027, matching its 2026 level. France has promised additional interceptor missiles.

Western and EU leaders travelled to Kyiv over the weekend ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day and a meeting of the coalition of the willing focused on security guarantees.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said elections under current conditions would be too dangerous and could split the country. Large-scale Russian strikes continue to pressure Ukraine’s defenses.

The new EU funding forms part of sustained European efforts to sustain Ukraine’s military capacity while diplomatic and military support mechanisms evolve.