Ukraine faces €23bn defence funding gap, Zelensky wants EU loan brought forward

Ukraine says it needs €134.6 billion for 2026 defence and, according to the European Commission's own figures, still faces a financing gap of roughly €23 billion despite the EU's Ukraine Support Loan and further disbursements on the way. President Volodymyr Zelensky is now asking the EU to bring forward disbursement of its 2027 loan to speed up Ukrainian drone and missile production. The numbers show the limits of Western financial commitments as the war continues.

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