Ukraine Seeks EU Funding for Patriot Air Defense Systems

Ukraine has submitted a formal request to the European Union for several billion euros to purchase U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems, a move European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on Wednesday. The funding is sought through the EU's support loan to bolster the country's defenses against intensifying Russian aerial attacks. Von der Leyen announced the request during a press conference in Brussels alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. "I can confirm that we have received a new payment request. It is worth several billion euros and would cover Ukraine's air defenses, including the highly advanced PAC3 Patriot air defense systems," she said. The request is now under review by EU member states, with a meeting of national representatives scheduled for September 7 to consider it. The funding would be drawn from the EU's approximately 90 billion euro support loan for Ukraine. Roughly 60 billion of that loan is earmarked for military equipment in 2026 and 2027. To date, about 22.1 billion has been approved by member states, with 8.35 billion already disbursed for items including drones, air defense systems, and ammunition.