BRUSSELS, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Monday approved 6.1 billion euros (about 7.12 billion U.S. dollars) in new defense procurement for Ukraine, covering air defense systems, missiles, ammunition and radars.
The Commission said the latest approval was in addition to 16 billion euros in previously approved procurement plans, of which 8.35 billion euros have been disbursed.
Most of the equipment will be sourced from European Union defense companies, the Commission said.
It said Russia's increased use of ballistic missiles and jet-engined drones had heightened the need to accelerate deliveries to Ukraine by reprioritizing orders and ramping up production.
The funding comes from the EU's 90-billion-euro Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027. The European Parliament and the Council of the EU adopted legislation establishing the loan in February.
Under the disbursement procedure, Ukraine can request payments after signing procurement contracts with defense companies. The Commission will review the contracts before releasing funds to ensure the purchases are in line with procurement plans agreed upon by EU member states.
The Commission said the EU and its member states have provided 220.2 billion euros in overall support to Ukraine since 2022, including 3.8 billion euros from proceeds generated by immobilized Russian assets. (1 euro equals 1.17 U.S. USD) ■