Ukraine Is Seeking Funds for Additional Defense Needs: Where It Plans to Raise $27 Billion

Ukraine continues to seek sources of funding for additional defense needs, which the Ministry of Defense estimated at $27 billion in August 2026. The government plans to cover part of the required amount with its own resources and expects to raise another $12 billion in collaboration with international partners.

Serhiy Marchenko emphasized that state budget funding and military expenditures must be considered separately.

By the end of 2026, Ukraine is expected to receive $29.5 billion from international partners to finance non-military expenditures of the state budget. Of this amount, more than $3 billion has already been received.

According to the minister, the remaining funds will be made available provided that Ukraine fulfills the commitments agreed upon with its international partners. This includes, in particular, the adoption of necessary laws by the Verkhovna Rada and resolutions by the government.

“There will be no funding gap if we fully fulfill our obligations,” Serhiy Marchenko emphasized.

Separately, Serhiy Marchenko spoke about guaranteed funding from the European Union under the Ukraine Support Loan (USL), which is earmarked specifically for defense needs, including the procurement of weapons and drones.

According to the minister, these funds are unconditional. At the same time, €17 billion remains available for disbursement through the end of 2026.

Ukraine and the European Commission have agreed to expedite the approval of requests submitted by the Ukrainian side to receive the relevant funding.

At the same time, there remains an additional defense need of $27 billion, which the Ministry of Defense declared in August 2026 as exceeding the funding available under the USL.

This week, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defense, and the European Commission discussed possible options for covering this need in Brussels.

Ukraine plans to secure more than $7 billion from domestic resources through cost savings and the reallocation of expenditures.

The government expects to raise an additional approximately $12 billion in collaboration with international partners.

Thus, a shortfall of less than $8 billion remains. Serhiy Marchenko called this a critical need and noted that the Ministry of Finance, together with the Ministry of Defense, continues to seek sources to finance it.

At the same time, the European Commission is currently unable to cover this portion of the need because, according to Marchenko, it lacks the appropriate financial instruments to do so this year.

The minister added that Ukraine continues to work around the clock with international partners to meet all the needs of the state budget.

It was previously reported that Ukraine may not receive international funding if it fails to fulfill its commitments.

Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi stated that in order to receive all the allocated funds, the government must adopt the necessary resolutions, and the Verkhovna Rada must pass the relevant laws.

Thus, Ukraine is simultaneously working to cover an additional $27 billion in defense needs and to secure international funding for non-military expenditures in the state budget.

This was announced by Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko.

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