NextFin news, On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Brussels, European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas announced that the 27 EU member states have provided a record 25 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine so far this year. This marks the highest level of military support the EU has ever delivered to Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022.
Kallas stated that since the start of the war, the EU and its member countries have committed nearly 169 billion euros in financial support to Ukraine, including 63 billion euros specifically for military assistance. She highlighted that EU countries have supplied 80% of the 2 million artillery shells used by Ukraine, aiming to reach 100% by October.
In addition to financial and material aid, the EU is preparing to change the mandate of its Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) to allow European military instructors to train Ukrainian soldiers directly on Ukrainian soil. This development was announced during Kallas's speech at the European Parliament.
Currently, the EU has trained approximately 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers abroad. The shift to on-site training in Ukraine aims to enhance the effectiveness and immediacy of military instruction, responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for training missions to be conducted within Ukraine due to the rapidly evolving nature of the conflict and military technology.
Kallas also emphasized the EU's commitment to strengthening Ukraine's defense industry, including supporting Ukraine in producing more military equipment within EU countries.
Furthermore, Kallas noted that international sanctions have deprived Russia of at least 450 billion dollars in military funding, including 154 billion dollars from oil sales. The EU is currently preparing the 19th package of sanctions against Russia.
The EU's military mission for Ukraine was initially established on October 17, 2022, with a mandate to provide individual, collective, and specialized training to Ukrainian forces outside Ukraine. The planned mandate change to allow training inside Ukraine represents a significant evolution in the EU's support strategy.
These announcements underscore the EU's ongoing and escalating commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
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