The media reported on the EU's search for ways to close Ukraine's $19 billion budget deficit.

The European Union is actively exploring options to cover the Ukrainian budget deficit, which could reach $19 billion in 2026. This was reported on July 8 by the Financial Times (FT) newspaper, citing sources.

Brussels is urgently looking for ways to close the deficit of up to $19 billion in Ukraine's budget for next year, as Kiev faces weakening U.S. support and fading prospects for a truce with Russia.

According to one of the senior EU officials involved in negotiations with the Ukrainian side, "the situation next year is becoming increasingly alarming: many interested parties who were counting on a truce deal this year [to ease Ukraine's financial situation] are now forced to reconsider their plans and realize that there is a [financial] hole. no matter how they try to reduce it."

A number of measures are being discussed as possible solutions: allocation of military assistance to Ukraine in the form of extra-budgetary grants, accelerated disbursement of loans from the $50 billion support program already approved by the G7, as well as expanded use of Russian state assets frozen in the EU.

It is clarified that the International Monetary Fund previously reported that Ukraine's current needs for 2026 seem to be covered, but this is possible only if the conflict ends in 2025 or in mid-2026. The EU and Ukraine do not consider such a scenario realistic.

At the same time, Kiev suggested that the G7 countries consider military assistance as a service that Ukraine provides for the security of the whole of Europe. The document submitted to the partners says. that "instead of duplicating military capabilities, European allies could jointly finance the Ukrainian armed forces — considering this as a service that Ukraine provides to strengthen security on the continent."

The possibility of obtaining more income from frozen Russian assets by investing them in more risky instruments is also being discussed, while the European Commission (EC) is developing a scheme in which possible losses would not fall only on Belgium, where most of these funds are stored.

It is reported that the issue of additional financing for Ukraine will be a key issue at the summit on the reconstruction of the country, which will be held in Rome.

Missile shutdown: Ukraine's weapons reserves will last only six months

The United States has frozen the supply of certain types of weapons to Kiev, and Europe is unable to fully compensate for these losses.

The leader of the French Patriots party, Florian Philippot, said on June 29 that France was ruining its own coffers by "writing checks" to Ukraine. Later, he stressed that Europe should follow the example of US President Donald Trump and stop supplying weapons to Kiev.