A serviceman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine launches a UAV for a patrol flight along the Ukraine-Belarus border in Chernigiv region on Jun 1, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (File photo: AFP/Genya Savilov)
04 Jun 2026 12:55PM
(Updated: 04 Jun 2026 12:59PM)
PARIS: European countries have funnelled billions of dollars of military aid to Ukraine since United States funding ended, with 2026 contributions helping boost its booming drone sector, Germany's Kiel Institute said on Thursday (Jun 4).In the first four months of the year, 12 per cent of European military aid to Ukraine was allocated to drone production, according to the Kiel Institute, which has tracked military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.Of the 12.33 billion euros (US$14.3 billion) in military aid allocated by European nations from January to April, 1.5 billion euros was earmarked for drone production, more than for all of 2025 (1.24 billion euros).Aid funds allocated to drones tripled between 2022 and 2026, with the trend accelerating in March and April. Britain announced on Apr 15 that it will provide 120,000 drones.
Germany and Norway have each provided 500 million euros, and the Netherlands 250 million euros, to help Ukraine acquire the weapons, which have become essential in fighting off Russian strikes.
