Ukraine Faces $27 Billion Wartime Funding Gap as New Defence Minister Seeks More Aid

Ukraine is seeking earlier access to European financing as it confronts a $27 billion gap in its military budget. Defence Minister Yevgeny Hmara said Kyiv would also ask allies for more money and seek support from countries that have not yet provided assistance.

The European Union has committed 90 billion euros in financial aid through the end of 2027, with 45 billion euros allocated for each of 2026 and 2027. Hmara said Ukraine would try to draw part of next year’s 45 billion-euro loan in advance so the government can address the shortfall.

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clear vision

Hmara said Kyiv would present its partners with a clear plan for conducting the war against Russia. The plan, he said, would identify the tasks facing Ukraine’s defence forces, the projects needed, the results expected and the time frames involved. He also said he shared a common vision with Ukraine’s new top general, Mykhailo Drapatiy, and promised openness toward frontline troops and commanders.

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The soldiers on the ground see best what needs to change.

“The soldiers on the ground see best what needs to change,” Hmara said. He called for decisions to preserve lives and for the same clear vision to move through the chain of command to the units carrying out daily missions.

Kyiv is trying to regain the initiative partly through longer-range drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, military production and logistics. At the same time, Ukraine faces shortages of personnel and air-defence systems, while its army has faced controversy over abuses and poor management in mobilisation and on the battlefield. Hmara said Ukraine had tested four potential interceptors for Russian jet-powered drones and aimed eventually to produce thousands of them.

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appropriate decisions