Ukraine asks allies for $20 billion to intensify strikes against Russia

The request for $20 billion will be announced on June 18 at the next meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's defense in the Rammstein format, Politico reports.

"Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but for that we need funding," a Ukrainian official noted.

This issue has already been raised by Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and other government officials during a series of meetings with representatives of Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Canada. To raise the necessary funds, Ukraine will ask each partner for between $2 billion and $6 billion in financial assistance or loans.

Support for Ukraine will be a key issue at the July NATO summit in Ankara, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be present on the sidelines.

If Ukraine receives the funds, they will be used for air defense, drones, ammunition, electronic warfare systems, and long-range weapons. The funding will also be used for direct purchases from Ukrainian defense companies and expanded contributions to the Ukraine Priority Needs List (PURL).

"The window of opportunity tends to close. Russia acts quickly and innovates. And if we give it time to adapt again, we could lose the only real chance to end this war through real negotiations. And if Russia develops its own medium-range attack drones, it will be catastrophic for us," the senior official warned.

These funds will supplement Ukraine's defense budget for this year, which stands at 4.4 trillion hryvnias (€85 billion). Ukraine currently spends approximately 40% of its GDP on defense, the highest rate in the world.

Partners have already committed to providing $38 billion in military aid this year. The additional $20 billion will bring Ukraine closer to the $60 billion target for bilateral aid set by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Photo: Radio Liberty.