Ukraine's Europe minister says non-EU allies need to step up their financial support

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Vsevolod Chentsov addressed the need for non-EU allies to increase financial support for Ukraine in 2026 and beyond during an EU meeting in Wicklow, Ireland, on Sept. 4. The meeting discussed Ukraine's EU accession status and bridging a $27 billion financial gap by the end of 2026. Chentsov suggested that frontloading, or paying a portion of the assistance earlier, could be a solution, though not a definitive one.

The EU had previously allocated a 90 billion-euro loan to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's budgetary and defense needs until the end of 2027, with the remaining third expected to be covered by other allies. However, those allies have not yet met their financial commitments, leading Zelensky to propose frontloading the assistance for 2027.

Chentsov emphasized the importance of reaching out to non-EU countries, noting that the original plan was for them to shoulder one-third of Ukraine's needs. He expressed optimism about countries like the U.K., Canada, and Japan potentially stepping up, but acknowledged that without assistance from other allies, it might be necessary for the EU to consider frontloading some of its support.