EU unblocks €6.6 billion military aid to Ukraine: where the funds will go

European Union countries finalized terms on September 25 to unblock €6.6 billion for Ukraine through the European Peace Facility (EPF). High Representative Kaja Kallas called the decision "good news for Ukraine and bad news for Russia."

The money will flow along three tracks: €900 million to support the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine), €1 billion for new joint procurement of military gear, and €4.7 billion to compensate member states for weapons and equipment they have already transferred to Kyiv. Several capitals have indicated they will reinvest reimbursed amounts into further aid.

The EPF, created in 2021 as an off‑budget instrument with a current ceiling of about €17 billion, exists because the EU budget cannot directly finance military expenditures. It enables payment for weapons, ammunition, training costs, transport, and logistics.

According to the Council of the EU, total military support from the Union and its member states now stands at roughly €93 billion. The EPF has been the primary vehicle for reimbursing national donations since the start of the full‑scale invasion.

EUMAM Ukraine, launched in October 2022, involves 24 member states and provides both basic and specialized training for Ukrainian forces. EPF funding covers not only instruction but also transport, catering, translation, medical support, and lethal and non‑lethal equipment for participating units.