Ukraine is asking for an additional $20 billion from its allies to consolidate its temporary superiority on the battlefield over Russia, a senior Ukrainian defense official told POLITICO. "Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need funding to do it," he said.
The request for $20 billion will be made officially on June 18 at the next meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine's Defense, also known as the Ramstein format, where allies organize financial and military assistance to Kiev. The issue was raised by Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fyodorov and other government officials during a series of meetings with representatives of Norway, Sweden, Germany and Canada.
Allies will be asked for between $2 billion and $6 billion to reach the $20 billion target, the Ukrainian official said. This could come in the form of aid or loans, he said. Aid for Ukraine will be a key issue at the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara in July, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be on the sidelines.
Ukraine’s defense budget for this year is set at 4.4 trillion hryvnias (85 billion euros), and the $20 billion would come on top of that. Ukraine spends about 40 percent of its GDP on defense, the highest in the world.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, partner countries have already committed $38 billion in military aid this year. The additional $20 billion would bring Ukraine closer to the $60 billion bilateral aid target set by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
If the additional $20 billion materializes, Ukraine would use the money for air defense, an expanded contribution to the Priority Requirements List for Ukraine, a NATO-led program under which allies buy weapons for Ukraine from the United States, as well as purchasing more drones, ammunition, electronic warfare equipment, long-range capabilities, and direct purchases from Ukrainian defense companies. The aim is to use the funds to continue Ukraine’s increasingly devastating attacks on Russia.
Kiev has developed its drone and missile technologies and in recent months has launched a multi-layered campaign - from short-range drones that have turned the front line into a no-go zone, to medium-range drones that are striking Russian logistics and transport networks, leading to growing shortages of fuel and supplies, as well as drone and missile attacks deep inside Russia, hitting factories, oil refineries, ports and other strategic targets.
"Ukrainian unmanned systems are successfully operating at different levels: from performing missions on the front line to striking key enemy targets hundreds of kilometers deep in enemy territory," Zelensky said on social media. The senior Ukrainian official credited aid from key allies such as Germany, Norway and the Netherlands for changing the dynamics of the war.
The attacks in Ukraine have prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to call for stronger air defenses. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned Ukraine’s calls for more financial aid. “It’s the same old story every time: ‘Kiev needs more money.’ If anyone has to illustrate the term ‘political self-harm,’ this is the best example,” she said.
Ukraine wants to continue to gain momentum against Russia before Moscow can rebalance the odds in its favor. “The window of opportunity tends to close,” the senior Ukrainian official warned. “Russia is fast and innovative. "And if we give them time to adapt again, we may lose the only real chance to end this war with real negotiations. And if Russia invents its own medium-range drones, that will be a disaster for us."