The European Union has unlocked a loan program for Ukraine amounting to 90 billion euros, part of which will be directed towards the production of weapons and strengthening the country’s energy infrastructure.
This is reported by Finway
Strengthening Defense and Energy Security
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the funds allocated by the EU will primarily be directed towards enhancing the army and equipping the armed forces with modern technology. Significant attention is also being paid to the protection of energy facilities, which remain under constant threat due to shelling and attacks.
“Now we will maximize production. We have worked with the private sector to ensure they produce as much weaponry as possible in advance. I was confident and promised that we would manage to unblock funding and transfer these funds. Many steps have been taken in this direction – and now we already have results. At the same time, it is important that these 90 billion are primarily intended for armaments and strengthening the army, but given the constant strikes, it is also necessary to protect the energy sector,” said Zelensky.
He also reported that agreements have been reached to use part of the loan funds to strengthen the energy sector. The first tranche of funding is expected at the end of May or in June. The president urged not to delay measures to protect energy and logistics, involving local budgets to accelerate the relevant projects.
The Situation on the Battlefield and New Sanctions Against Russia
Zelensky noted that due to the delay in funding, Ukraine has for some time lagged behind Russian troops in the use of FPV drones on the front lines. During this period, the enemy was even able to surpass in the number of drones used.
Additionally, on Thursday, the EU adopted the twentieth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation and unlocked a loan for Ukraine for 2026-2027, which opens new opportunities for supporting the defense potential and energy resilience of the state.