The EU Council announced on Wednesday that it had agreed on a third tranche of EUR 500 million in aid to Ukraine, thereby increasing it to EUR 1.5 billion.

EU diplomat Josep Borrell, the initiator of this additional funding, said that with this new additional EUR 500 million, the EU has committed a total of EUR 1.5 billion to support the supply of military equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine by EU member states. The next weeks will be decisive. He said it is imperative that the EU continues and builds up its military support to Ukraine in order to protect its territory and population.

The council's communiqué said the agreed measures will finance both the supply of personal protective equipment, first aid kits and fuel by EU countries, as well as lethal equipment for defensive purposes.

The duration of these assistance measures is extended by one year.

Previous assistance measures, recalled in the message of the EU Council, were agreed on February 28 and March 23, 2022.