KIEV, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine has received 3.9 billion euros (about 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) from the European Union (EU) as the first loan under a defense support program, the country's finance ministry said Tuesday.
The financing is part of the initial tranche of the Ukraine Support Loan worth 5.01 billion euros (around 5.7 billion dollars), the ministry said in a statement.
"These funds will be directed to what is critically important for our resilience today: strengthening Ukrainian drone production, the defense industry, and meeting the needs of the Defense Forces," said Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko.
In 2026, Kiev expects to receive 45 billion euros (51.3 billion dollars) under the Ukraine Support Loan, including 28.3 billion euros (32.2 billion dollars) for defense. ■