Ukraine to ask allies for additional US$20bn so Russia can "burn even more" – Politico

Ukraine is seeking an additional US$20 billion from its allies to consolidate its temporary advantage on the battlefield and intensify strikes against facilities inside Russia.

Source: Politico, a Brussels-based politics and policy news organisation, citing an unnamed senior Ukrainian defence official and sources familiar with the negotiations

Details: Sources said the request for US$20 billion will be presented on 18 June at the next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein format).

"Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need financing to do it," the Ukrainian official said.

The issue has been raised by Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and other government officials during a series of meetings with representatives of Norway, Sweden, Germany and Canada. To secure the required amount, Ukraine plans to ask each partner for between US$2 billion and US$6 billion in financial assistance or loans.

Support for Ukraine is also expected to be a key topic at the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara in July, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend on the sidelines.

If the funding is secured, Ukraine intends to allocate it to air defence systems, drones, ammunition, electronic warfare capabilities and long-range weapons. The money would also be used for direct procurement from Ukrainian defence companies and for expanding contributions under Ukraine's Priority Requirements List (PURL), a programme that enables Kyiv's allies to procure US weapons for Ukraine.

"The window of opportunity tends to close. Russia is fast and innovative. And if we give them time to adapt again, we might lose the only real chance to end this war with real negotiations. And if Russia invents its own mid-strike drones, it will be a catastrophe for us," the senior official warned.

The funding would come in addition to Ukraine's defence budget for this year, which stands at UAH 4.4 trillion (US$98 billion). Ukraine is currently spending around 40% of its GDP on defence, the highest proportion in the world.

Ukraine's partners have committed US$38 billion in military assistance for this year. An additional US$20 billion would bring Ukraine closer to the US$60 billion target for bilateral aid set by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

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