The European Union has disbursed an additional €2.8 billion ($3.2 billion) in budgetary support to Ukraine as Kiev receives a new push of support from the bloc.
"Ukraine's speed and commitment to delivering meaningful reforms has merited this payment," said EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos on Monday.
The disbursement is part of an aid programme worth €50 billion intended to boost Ukraine's national budget as Kiev is moving forward with reforms while defending itself against Russia's full-scale invasion.
Monday's disbursement is the 7th payment Ukraine has received under the financing scheme.
Progress is also being made on several other EU support measures for Ukraine after they had been blocked by former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán.
EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas, speaking on the sideline of a meeting of EU defence ministers in Nicosia, said that Ukraine can expect a €5.9 billion disbursement this month from a new loan facility worth €90 billion to support Ukraine's army and finances.
EU ministers have also started discussing how to use €6.6 billion for a separate arms fund, Kallas said. Disbursements from the fund had been blocked by Hungary under Orbán, who was ousted in parliamentary elections in April.
Kallas said she proposed using the money to partly reimburse EU countries for past weapons deliveries to Ukraine, to finance new joint purchases and to sustain the EU's military training mission in Ukraine.
In addition, EU foreign ministers are to decide next week to slap sanctions on more than 80 individuals and entities over their support for Russia.
The proposed listings target "Russia's military-industrial complex, human rights violators, and propagandists," Kallas said.
Since 2022, the EU and its member states have provided nearly €205 billion in aid to Ukraine, according to EU figures. This includes military, financial and humanitarian support.
