The European Commission has transferred a new aid installment of €1.5 billion to Ukraine’s budget as part of a comprehensive €50 billion program planned to run until 2027. The Commission stated that this second tranche of emergency funding is under a special fund designated for Ukraine. The first installment, amounting to €4.5 billion, was disbursed in March 2024 for the initial three months of the year.
Following this latest transfer, the total EU aid disbursed to Kyiv has risen to €98.5 billion, which includes over €18 billion transferred from the EU budget to member states for hosting and accommodating Ukrainian refugees.
The EU program is designed to support Kyiv’s budget with €50 billion officially until the end of 2027. However, the rate of expenditure (€1.5 billion monthly) suggests that the funds will be exhausted by September 2026 if the spending pace continues.
Since the outbreak of war against Russia in 2022, Europe’s stance toward Ukraine has been firmly supportive. The European Union (EU) has been at the forefront, implementing extensive economic sanctions against Russia and providing substantial financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. As of 2024, the EU has committed a comprehensive package worth €88 billion to support Ukraine, including military and defense needs, and has set up a mechanism providing up to €50 billion in loans and grants to aid Ukraine’s reconstruction and reforms on its path to EU membership.
The European response has also included significant sanctions targeting Russian and Belarusian individuals and entities, aiming to cut off significant economic and financial resources. These sanctions have included closing EU airspace to Russian aircraft, banning major Russian banks from the SWIFT banking network, and restricting the provision of euro-denominated banknotes to Russia.
Poland has played a particularly proactive role within Europe, leading advocacy for strong measures against Russia and supporting Ukraine both militarily and humanitarianly. Poland has been a key gateway for international military aid to Ukraine and has hosted more Ukrainian refugees than any other EU member state.
