KYIV, Ukraine — The European Union is reviewing Kyiv’s request to spend billions of euros on PAC-3 interceptor missiles for its Patriot batteries — the first time Ukraine has formally asked to tap a €90 billion support loan approved earlier this year to buy the U.S.-made systems, European officials announced this week.
“We will keep supporting Ukraine, including with European air defence and PAC-3 Patriot systems,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X on Sept. 2, confirming the request alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “We will work closer than ever with NATO. And deter anyone who attacks our freedom and security.”
The statement comes a day after Ukraine’s defense minister, Yevhenii Khmara, pressed allies for more aid. Russia is continuing a second week of launching near-nonstop aerial strikes on Kyiv, Odesa and other cities as Ukraine faces a dire antiballistics interceptor shortage.
“Ukraine calls on partners to allocate national budget funds for the procurement of Ukrainian drones, expedite the provision of the EU loan, and resume discussions on the use of frozen Russian assets,” Khmara said in a statement.
He said Ukraine currently faces a $27 billion defense budget deficit, but emphasized that supporting Kyiv is a “win-win” for Europe.
“Every euro invested in Ukraine’s defence is an investment in European security,” he said.
The €90 billion loan Kyiv hopes to tap into — finalized by the Council of the EU in April after months of delay — sets aside roughly €60 billion for defense procurement and €30 billion for budget support.
But the loan’s rules were written to prioritize European and Ukrainian-made weapons, capping non-EU/Ukrainian content at 35% of a given purchase’s value.
Because PAC-3s are built in the U.S., Kyiv’s request needs to receive a formal exemption to access the funds.
Ukraine already secured a similar carve-out in April for Chinese-made drone components, a precedent officials are pointing to as EU member states weigh the latest request.
Von der Leyen said in her Sept. 2 statement that the exemption review “is moving in the right direction,” and that EU representatives were due to decide on the exemption on Monday.