Zelensky asks EU for extra $79 billion to sustain Ukraine’s war effort

Zelensky is asking the European Union to provide Ukraine with at least €70 billion in extra funding next year. He presented the request at an EU summit in Brussels. The money matters because Ukraine expects the war to cost €155 billion next year, while Russian strikes are weakening its economy and widening its budget gap.

The requested funding has three stated purposes: defence, weapons, and resilience. In practical terms, it would help Ukraine continue military resistance and keep the country functioning under attack. Zelensky called €70 billion a realistic amount and said it would help hold Russia back.

The request comes alongside an existing €90 billion EU loan, whose instalments are intended to cover Ukrainian funding through the end of 2027. However, Ukrainian authorities warn that this support will not close the expected gap. EU officials are still working with Kyiv on a definitive figure, with further discussions possible in December.

The scale is unusually large. Ukraine says the war will cost €155 billion next year, and Zelensky is seeking €70 billion from the EU. That request is roughly 45% of the projected annual war cost, so it would cover almost half of the stated total.

Compared with the EU’s planned €90 billion loan, the extra request is about 78% as large. If both figures are placed side by side, the planned loan and new request total €160 billion. The requested addition alone is €20 billion less than the loan already planned.

These comparisons do not mean every euro has the same purpose or timing. The €90 billion loan was set to help cover funding through the end of 2027, while Zelensky’s €70 billion request concerns next year. The figures show why EU leaders face a major financing decision as Russia’s attacks continue damaging Ukraine’s economy.

A government budget black hole is a large shortfall between planned spending and the money available to pay for it. It means the government cannot fully cover its commitments through current revenue and already arranged financing. Ukraine’s authorities warn that such a gap will remain despite the EU loan programme.

Russian strikes make the problem larger by damaging Ukraine’s economy. When attacks batter economic activity, the government can have less money available from the economy while still facing heavy costs for defence, weapons, and resilience. Zelensky said the war alone will cost €155 billion next year.

The article does not provide a precise size for Ukraine’s remaining gap. It does show that the existing €90 billion EU loan is not expected to be enough. That is why the European Commission is working with Kyiv on a definitive figure, while EU ministers may discuss additional funding in December.

The immediate risk is reduced capacity to keep fighting. Zelensky said the requested money is needed for defence, weapons, and resilience, and that it would help Ukraine hold Russia back. If that support is not found, those activities could face greater financial pressure.

The funding gap could also affect the wider state budget. Ukraine already expects the war to cost €155 billion next year, while Russian strikes have battered its economy. With a major budget black hole, the government may have less room to sustain services and other public commitments alongside military spending.

The article does not specify which services would be cut or predict a definite military outcome. It does establish that the existing €90 billion loan will not fully resolve Ukraine’s needs. EU leaders therefore face pressure to find additional funding, while officials continue calculating the amount required for next year.

The European Union is described as Ukraine’s biggest international backer because it is already providing a major, multi-year financial package. The EU is paying instalments from a €90 billion loan designed to help cover Ukraine’s funding through the end of 2027.

That support is not enough to meet Ukraine’s expected needs. Russian strikes have damaged the economy, and Kyiv says the war will cost €155 billion next year. EU leaders are therefore being asked for at least €70 billion more for defence, weapons, and resilience. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said the EU would need to increase funding.

Other international supporters have a supporting role in the funding effort. The article names Britain, Canada, and Japan as backers the EU is pressing to provide more money. It does not give their individual contribution amounts. Their additional support could help plug part of the remaining gap, alongside any new EU assistance.

Frozen Russian central-bank assets are reserves belonging to Russia’s central bank that have been blocked from normal use. This explanation uses established financial knowledge; the article itself only says that around €200 billion in such assets are frozen and held mainly in Belgium.

Using those assets would differ from an EU budget contribution. A budget contribution would commit money raised or allocated by European governments and institutions. Tapping frozen assets would instead seek to finance Ukraine from Russian reserves already immobilised in connection with the conflict. The proposed source of funds, rather than the purpose, is the key difference.

The idea has revived during discussions about Ukraine’s new funding. However, the article says there is little momentum because Belgium remains opposed, and most of the funds are held there. The EU is therefore also asking Britain, Canada, and Japan for more money while it continues working on other ways to close Ukraine’s gap.

When tax revenue and economic activity cannot cover a prolonged war, governments normally combine several financing methods. They can borrow, seek support from allies, redirect existing spending, and raise or collect more revenue. They may also use central-bank financing, though that can create economic pressures. These are general government-finance mechanisms, not all measures described in the article.

Ukraine is relying heavily on outside support because its needs are exceptionally large. Zelensky says next year’s war will cost €155 billion and asks the EU for at least €70 billion more. The EU has already arranged a €90 billion loan, with instalments intended to cover funding through the end of 2027.

Russian strikes make the challenge harder by battering Ukraine’s economy. The article says Kyiv still faces a major budget black hole, so existing support may not suffice. The EU is seeking a definitive figure and urging Britain, Canada, and Japan to contribute more.