At the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the "Ramstein" format on June 18, Defense Minister Mikhaylo Fedorov and other Ukrainian officials will officially request an additional $20 billion in funding from allies. According to Politico, citing a high-ranking representative of the defense ministry.
"Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need funding for this. The window of opportunity has a way of closing. Russia is fast and innovative".
Senior official of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Politico
What's behind the figure
$20 billion is not a replacement for Ukraine's own spending, but a supplement to it. According to SIPRI, in 2025 Ukraine spent $84.1 billion on defense — about 40% of GDP, the highest figure in the world among all countries. At the same time, according to the Ministry of Defense, only about $4 billion of the available aid package remains free for new purchases — the rest is already under contract or allocated.
The funds are planned to be directed toward air defense systems, drones, ammunition, electronic warfare equipment, and long-range weapons. Each partner is expected to contribute between $2 to $6 billion — either through direct aid or loans. Bilateral negotiations with Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Canada have already taken place.
Why now
The logic behind the request is time-based: Kyiv argues that Russia has been losing the initiative on the battlefield since December and suffering monthly personnel losses that exceed the rate of replenishment. However, this window is not endless. According to Euromaidan Press citing SIPRI, Russia's military spending in 2025 has increased to $190 billion — 7.5% of GDP, and analysts at the institute forecast further growth in 2026.
SIPRI researcher Lorenzo Scarazzato noted that 2025 set record levels for the share of defense spending in state budgets for both Russia and Ukraine simultaneously — and both figures are likely to continue growing.
Context: what has already been promised
- Germany — €11.5 billion for 2026 (air defense, drones, artillery shells)
- Sweden — €2.3 billion per year, including €530 million for drones and ammunition
- Norway — €100 million to the air defense coalition, €240 million for maritime capabilities
- United Kingdom — £600 million for air defense, partly from frozen Russian assets
The total for 2025 according to Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal — $45 billion in commitments from allies, a record for all years of the full-scale war. However, Shmyhal estimated the needs for 2026 at $120 billion, of which Ukraine is able to cover half independently.
The question to allies at "Ramstein" on June 18 is not rhetorical: if $20 billion is not confirmed by autumn, when Russia traditionally increases its offensive pace, the window that Ukrainian officials are talking about could close before the next opportunity to open it appears.
