EU Defense Ministers to Discuss Military Aid to Ukraine and SAFE Participation on May 12
On May 12, EU defense ministers will discuss military aid to Ukraine, including the expenditure of a 60 billion euro loan and participation in the SAFE mechanism. The meeting will include Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and NATO representatives. The first 6 billion euro tranche for drones is expected this quarter.
On May 12, in Brussels, EU defense ministers will hold a working lunch focused on military support for Ukraine. Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (online) and NATO representatives will participate.
During the lunch, discussions will cover the expenditure of a portion of the EU loan to Ukraine, amounting to 60 billion euros (out of 90 billion), allocated for the army, procurement of weapons, and ammunition. Prospects for the Ukrainian defense industry's participation in the SAFE mechanism (loans to EU states for strengthening their own defense industry, totaling 150 billion euros) will also be considered.
Before the lunch, an informal exchange of views with Mykhailo Fedorov will take place. Ministers will also discuss aid to Ukraine with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska, specifically the PURL initiative for European NATO allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine, and the advancement of defense-industrial cooperation.
The first tranche for Ukraine from the 90 billion euro loan, approximately 6 billion euros, will be disbursed in the current quarter and will focus on Ukrainian drones. On May 5, the European Commission announced a call for applications from companies wishing to co-found the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance. In 2025, the European Commission identified Ukraine as a key component of EU defense readiness.