European Commission spokesperson Balázs Ujvári said at a regular press conference on the 8th that the EU will launch a total of €90 billion (about RM423 billion) in aid loans to Ukraine, with the first batch amounting to €9.1 billion.
In response to questions from reporters, Ujvári said that €5.9 billion of the first batch will be used for military purposes, while €3.2 billion will go towards budgetary support. The relevant technical details are being finalized and the loans are expected to be disbursed within this month.
In April, the EU officially approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, providing fiscal and military support for 2026 to 2027.
● “Putin is losing funds, soldiers, and momentum”
On the same day, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas told the media during an informal Council of EU Defense Ministers meeting in Nicosia, Cyprus, that €5.9 billion from the first batch will be used for a drone project.
She also said that she would propose to add more than 80 new targets to sanctions against Russia, mainly focusing on Russian military-industrial entities and other individuals in related fields.
Kallas said that defense ministers from various countries once again reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and demonstrated their stance of exerting more pressure on Russia during the meeting.
She added that on the battlefield, time is no longer on Russia's side. Russian President Putin is losing funds, soldiers, and momentum, which is precisely why Russia is intensifying attacks on Ukrainian civilians. According to data, Western sanctions are estimated to have cost Russia $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion.