Ukraine will mark 35 years since declaring independence on 24 August 2026, with the European Commission saying the EU will continue to support the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The Commission pointed out in its statement on Friday that it had secured the first disbursements under a €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan, which it said was intended to help sustain Ukraine’s defence capabilities and reconstruction.
It also said the EU had adopted a 21st package of sanctions on Russia, further restricting its ability to fund the war and carry out attacks on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv in July 2026 and launched a new EU–Ukraine Defence Industrial Partnership and an “EU–Ukraine Drone Deal”, including an additional €1 billion in support for drone production.
Funding, sanctions and claims mechanisms
A total of €220.2 billion in humanitarian, financial and military assistance has been mobilised for Ukraine and its people by the EU and its member states since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, according to the Commission.
Since 2024, the EU has made available €8 billion in proceeds generated by immobilised Russian Central Bank assets to support Ukraine, including €3.8 billion channelled through the European Peace Facility and the Ukraine Facility.
The remaining proceeds have been used to support repayment of G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration loans through the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism.
The EU is also involved in efforts linked to the return of Ukrainian children it said were forcibly transferred or deported by Russia, and in work to hold Russia accountable for crimes linked to the war, including through the International Claims Commission and a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
