EU Ukraine Loan: Q2 Launch Confirmed

EU officials said the European Union expects to begin disbursing a new €90 billion loan to Ukraine starting in the second quarter of the year. EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis made the remarks to AFP while attending the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, D.C.

The EU said the financing is intended to support Ukraine as the war continues. The announcement came as fighting intensified, with Ukrainian authorities reporting a large-scale wave of Russian drone and missile strikes on civilian areas on Thursday.

Ukrainian authorities said the attacks involved nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles. They reported at least 17 people were killed and more than 100 were injured. The scale of the strikes also renewed concerns cited by Ukrainian officials about shrinking stocks of advanced interceptors.

Separately in Washington , German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said Russia’s economic benefits linked to the Middle East conflict are not in the interest of the United States or its allies. He said Russia is profiting from the energy situation and that this is helping fund its war effort.

At the same set of meetings , EU and NATO leaders discussed steps to expand European arms production as part of efforts to strengthen military capacity. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte both stressed the need to invest more and to accelerate production.

The developments place financial support, battlefield dynamics, and industrial capacity on the agenda at a moment when policymakers are gathered around global economic institutions. The EU’s planned loan disbursement timeline, the reported scale of Thursday’s strikes, and the emphasis on faster defense production were all presented by officials as connected to sustaining Ukraine’s position during the conflict.

Key uncertainties remain around the pace of disbursement once the second quarter begins and how quickly additional air-defense and interceptor supplies can be replenished, as Ukrainian authorities have warned about shortages. Officials did not provide further operational details in the statements cited.