EU officials privately told the Wall Street Journal they may be unable to meet Kyiv's funding requests this year despite a $105 billion loan promised through 2027. Ukraine reports a roughly $27 billion shortfall for defense needs into next year, including drone procurement, air defense, and military salaries. These costs extend to payments for families of fallen soldiers and advance purchases of weapons for 2027.

Brussels is weighing faster loan payouts, borrowing against its next budget, or utilizing $200 billion in frozen Russian assets to address the funding gap. Political pressure is mounting in member states, with Germany's AfD winning in Saxony-Anhalt on an anti-aid platform and Marine Le Pen stating France cannot afford further funding. The shortfall also includes projected losses from embezzlement.