The European Commission has approved a new €6.1 billion assistance package for Ukraine that includes funding for the purchase of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems.
European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius announced the decision at a press conference in Brussels.
“Today, the Commission formally approved €6.1 billion for Ukraine for air defence, drones and missiles from the Ukraine Support Loan. This is indeed a very important step forward. We have worked extensively with member states and Ukraine to achieve this goal,” Kubilius said.
He stressed that the decision is an important step towards maintaining the combat effectiveness of Ukraine’s armed forces and protecting critical infrastructure from Russian attacks.
According to Kubilius, the decision will allow Ukraine to urgently address shortages of precision weapons and missiles for Patriot air defence systems through exemptions from standard procurement rules.
“This decision formally allows Ukraine to purchase PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems. The package includes five derogations from the standard eligibility conditions: three for Ukrainian-produced drones and components exceeding price thresholds, and two for US-produced equipment, including PAC-3 missiles, including through the NATO coordination mechanism,” Kubilius said.
The commissioner stressed that the speed of deliveries is now a decisive factor and that cooperation between the EU and Ukraine should ensure an uninterrupted supply of the weapons Ukraine needs.
“Ukraine’s military advantage depends on rapid access to critical products in the necessary quantities and within very short timeframes. Accelerating EU deliveries through releasing stocks, reprioritising orders and increasing production remains crucial,” he said.
Asked about the timeframe for deliveries of PAC-3 missiles, Kubilius said allies were looking for flexible solutions to meet Ukraine’s immediate needs before newly manufactured missiles become available.
“The question now is whether it is possible to reach an agreement with member states that already have PAC-3 missiles in their stocks to transfer those missiles from their inventories to Ukraine now and then receive replacements under Ukrainian agreements for 2027,” he said.
With the latest decision, the European Union has fully allocated the €28.3 billion planned this year to finance Ukraine’s defence under the Ukraine Support Loan.
The European Commission is currently processing a request for another €4.7 billion disbursement, after €8.3 billion was previously transferred.
According to European Commission estimates, Ukraine needs around 2,000 PAC-3 interceptor missiles annually to defend itself against ballistic missile attacks. Global production is increasing only gradually, requiring flexible solutions from NATO and EU allies.
