UK eyes joining EU’s €90 billion Ukraine loan to tap defence orders

The discussions at a European political summit in Armenia are a further sign of deepening European defence ties under rising US pressure

Britain is in talks to join the European Union’s €90 billion (US$105.13 billion) loan to Ukraine to qualify for Kyiv’s defence orders that ‌the loan finances but will have to cover some interest payments on the borrowing to be eligible, the European Commission said.

“Today marks the first high-level discussion on the UK’s potential participation in the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan, following technical exchanges between the UK Government and the Commission,” a Commission spokesman told reporters.

The discussions, between European ⁠Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a European Political ‌Community summit in Armenia, are a further sign of deepening European defence ties under rising US pressure.

The loan, approved by the EU last month, ‌is set to cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s needs for the next two years, ⁠with the bulk of ⁠that amount earmarked for military spending as Kyiv defends itself against Russia’s four-year war.

Some of that cash could ‌be spent on British defence equipment if London meets three criteria, the Commission said.

Britain has to have a Security ‌and Defence ‌Partnership with the EU, which it entered into on May 19, 2025 and has ‌to provide significant financial and military support to Ukraine – a condition it is likely to meet after ⁠a Commission assessment.