Ukraine will receive 6.1 billion euros ($7.1 billion) in defense loans to be spent on air defenses, missiles, ammunition, and radars, according to an Aug. 24 press release from the European Commission.All the money being disbursed comes from the 90 billion euro ($105 billion) Ukraine Support Loan, which the bloc finalized in April to cover two-thirds of Ukraine's defense and budgetary needs until the end of 2027."On Ukraine's Independence Day, Europe shows our support is unfaltering and concrete," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the press release."As Russia intensifies its attacks, we are stepping up to help Ukraine protect its people and defend its skies. Europe stands with Ukraine, and we will deliver what it needs, when it needs it."The European bloc has emerged as Kyiv's leading military supplier and partner as the Trump administration ended nearly all U.S. defense aid to the war-torn country.Ukraine has named air defenses as the most acute need amid Russia's ongoing strikes against Ukrainian cities and dwindling supplies of Patriot interceptors.In his final days in office, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov submitted nine product schedules — proposed shopping lists of defense equipment — for the European Commission's sign-off.Of the nine product schedules submitted by Fedorov, seven have been approved, a senior EU official told the Kyiv Independent, taking the total of approved product schedules to 11.The two remaining lists submitted by Fedorov include a request to use EU funds to purchase U.S.-sourced Patriot missiles, which requires an exemption from EU member states.Some 60 billion euros ($70 billion) of the Ukraine Support Loan is allocated to defense products, with 28.3 billion euros ($33 billion) of that sum ringfenced for 2026.Products bought using that defense component generally must source 65% of their total component value from the EU, Ukraine, or Norway. If products do not meet that threshold, an exemption must be requested. Ukraine already made one such request — which was approved — for Chinese-manufactured drone components in April.There is no confirmed date for when Kyiv will get the green light to buy anti-ballistic missile interceptors from non-European companies, but it is expected in the coming weeks.However, the senior EU official noted that the approved packages already include some European anti-ballistic capabilities, possibly including the Franco-Italian SAMP/T system, which was also among the items previously requested by Kyiv.They also noted that Ukraine has submitted "several" more product schedules for approval since Yevhen Khmara stepped into the defense minister post in July.With the 6.1 billion euros ($7.1 billion) approved on Aug. 24, Ukraine has been allocated around 22 billion euros ($26 billion) of the 28.3 billion ($33.1 billion) in defense spending it is due to receive in 2026.