Zelensky demands an additional $27 billion — and Europe is beginning to lose patience

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed allied nations of a sudden $27 billion shortfall in the defense budget, despite a European loan of over $100 billion approved earlier this year. The request caught senior EU officials off guard and raised questions about the effectiveness of aid spending. Zelensky blamed former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for prematurely using funds.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed European allies of a sudden $27 billion shortfall in the defense budget, despite the European Union approving a massive loan of over $100 billion earlier this year. The unusual request was raised during a visit by a delegation of senior European officials to Kyiv last month to mark Ukraine's Independence Day, and caught them unprepared. The shortfall has sparked behind-the-scenes questions about the effectiveness of aid spending and the accuracy of needs assessment. Zelensky pointed an accusing finger at former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was recently dismissed, claiming he had prematurely used funds earmarked for the end of the year. Fedorov denied the allegations. Meanwhile, head of the budget committee in the Ukrainian parliament, Roksolana Pidlasa, noted that defense spending had surged by more than 17 percent in the first eight months of 2026. Russian attacks on metal plants and grain export routes have led to the loss of nearly half of expected state revenues in the past month. The European Union is considering advancing the loan disbursement, while Kyiv is pushing for the confiscation of more than $200 billion in frozen Russian assets held at Euroclear in Belgium, a step that raises concerns in Brussels about financial stability.