After a meeting of EU finance ministers in Dublin that also included British, Swiss and Canadian counterparts, EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis called for greater international burden sharing. "When we were putting forward Ukraine support loan, the idea was that should cover around two thirds of Ukraine's funding needs, and one third should be covered by other international partners," he said. He added, "Ukraine is facing larger funding needs because Russia's aggression - if anything - is increasing," and noted, "In a relatively short time we should be able to clarify the gap."
Earlier this year, the EU signed off on a €90 billion ($103 billion) lending package for Kyiv that spans 2026 and 2027. Even so, war spending has already produced a shortfall of around $27 billion. Ukraine's finance minister, Serhiy Marchenko, who attended the Dublin session, said the 2027 gap could be at least $32 billion, while partners are still working through the figures. The International Monetary Fund, together with the European Commission, is assessing how large the hole will be next year.
EU officials are pressing countries such as the UK and Japan to step up with financial support, and intend to put the ask at the top of their agenda in New York when they meet counterparts during next week's United Nations General Assembly. If Kyiv follows through on the donor-endorsed reform blueprint, those discussions would be smoother. Some proposals, including changes to taxes, remain stuck in Ukraine's parliament.
Progress on reforms and fresh commitments from third countries would also help unlock more funding from EU member states, according to people familiar with the talks. Inside the bloc, some governments are revisiting the idea of tapping part of the €210 billion in Russian central bank assets immobilized in Europe, while others argue that issuing more joint EU debt could be a practical route.
Global uncertainty reminds savers to keep protecting and steadily growing their capital. Join Briefs Finance CEO Jaspreet Singh on September 29th for a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That's Losing its Value, where he shows how we're spotting investment opportunities as the dollar falls. Save your spot.
If allies fill more of the gap, Ukraine's budget strain eases and the risk of stop‑start funding recedes. Watch for concrete pledges around the UN meetings and signs that Kyiv's tax and other reforms advance in parliament. Those two tracks will shape how quickly fresh money can flow and whether the EU leans on Russian assets, new joint borrowing, or both.
When headlines shift, a calm plan helps your wealth endure and progress. Our CEO Jaspreet Singh is hosting a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That's Losing its Value, on September 29th. Sign up free to join him live.
