Ukraine Seeks €6.6 Billion From EU’s Peace Fund to Strengthen Military Campaign

Ukraine has formally asked its European Union partners to allocate €6.6 billion ($7.5 billion) from the European Peace Facility (EPF) to support its armed forces, arguing that the next six to nine months present a crucial opportunity to strengthen its position on the battlefield in the war against Russia.

The request was made by Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in a letter sent to European partners. According to the letter, Ukraine’s total defence requirements for 2026 are estimated at €136 billion, while the country’s own budget can cover only about €53 billion, leaving a substantial funding gap.

Ukraine is already expected to receive approximately €28.3 billion this year through a broader €90 billion EU financial assistance package, but Kyiv says those funds alone will not meet its growing military needs. Fedorov argued that directing the available EPF funds toward Ukraine would have an immediate and significant impact on the country’s ability to defend itself.

The European Peace Facility is an off-budget EU instrument used to finance military assistance, reimburse member states for supplying weapons, and strengthen the defence capabilities of partner nations. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the facility has become one of the European Union’s primary mechanisms for providing military support to Kyiv.

In his appeal, Fedorov said Ukraine sees a “six-to-nine-month window of opportunity” to improve its battlefield position. While Russian offensives have slowed in several sectors this year, Ukrainian forces have launched successful counterattacks in some areas and intensified long-range strikes targeting Russian logistics networks, military infrastructure and energy facilities. Ukrainian officials believe additional European funding could help sustain those operations.

Separately, Fedorov has also sought an additional $20 billion in military assistance from the Ukraine Defence Contact Group; commonly known as the Ramstein Group, which comprises about 50 countries supporting Ukraine. That request comes on top of roughly $40 billion already pledged by the alliance.

The latest funding request comes as European governments continue to debate how the €6.6 billion available under the EPF should be distributed. Although the funds have become available after earlier political obstacles were resolved, some EU member states are divided over whether the money should be transferred directly to Ukraine or used to reimburse countries that have already supplied military equipment to Kyiv.

Ukraine has repeatedly stressed that continued Western military assistance remains essential to sustaining its defence against Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged European leaders to accelerate financial and military support, warning that delays could weaken Ukraine’s ability to hold the front lines and protect civilian infrastructure.

The European Union has not yet announced a final decision on Kyiv’s latest request, but the appeal underscores Ukraine’s continuing dependence on international partners as the war enters another critical phase. With fighting expected to remain intense through the remainder of the year, the outcome of the funding discussions could play a significant role in shaping Ukraine’s military capabilities in the months ahead.