France has launched a diplomatic offensive in Brussels to introduce strict time limits on exemptions that allow Ukraine to purchase military equipment outside the European Union with funds from the general European loan. The news was reported in an exclusive material by the Euronews media network (euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/25/exclusive-france-wants-to-limit-ukraines-non-european-procurement-with-eu-money). Paris insists that the billions allocated from the “Ukraine Support Loan“ to remain in the European economy and directly support the continent's defense industry, including French manufacturers.
The battle for the EU's €90 billion
The financial instrument to support Ukraine, which covers the period 2026-2027, amounts to a total of €90 billion. The package is structured as follows:
- 60 billion euros — direct military aid and arms purchases.
- 30 billion euros — economic assistance and support for the state budget of Kiev.
According to the rules of the loan, Ukraine has the right to spend no more than 35% of the value of defense production for purchases outside the territory of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). However, Kiev may request derogations (exceptions) in the absence of European analogues or the impossibility of rapid delivery.
So far, the European Commission has approved two such requests due to capacity shortages in Europe: for Chinese drone components and for American interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense systems. More details about the approved tranches and financing mechanisms were published by the Ukrainian agency RBC-Ukraine (rbc.ua/ukr/news/frantsiya-hoche-obmezhiti-zakupivlyu-zbroyi-1787683800.html).
Pressure from Paris and French industrial interests
The French government categorically demands that these permits be temporary. The mechanism is designed so that the exceptions must be reviewed and renewed with each subsequent tranche. Paris insists on the rule that if within this period a European manufacturer appears that can offer similar volumes, prices and terms, the European Commission must automatically refuse a new exception and oblige Ukraine to buy European weapons.
France has one of the most powerful military-industrial complexes in Europe. It is actively promoting the Franco-Italian anti-aircraft missile systems SAMP/T, which are seen as a direct and fully competitive European alternative to the US Patriot systems. This is a leading argument in defense of the French position, noted in the analysis of Kyiv Post (kyivpost.com/post/83101).
Disagreements and resistance within the bloc
But France's position is facing strong opposition from a number of member states. A group of nine northern and eastern European nations — including Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Baltic states — sent a formal letter to EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas and EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius. In it, they urged "maximum pragmatism and flexibility" in supplies. They said urgent needs on the frontline should take precedence over economic protectionism.
The European Commission faces a difficult balance: on the one hand, it must ensure Ukraine's immediate survival on the battlefield, while on the other — building Europe's long-term strategic autonomy and reducing its dependence on third-country suppliers.