NATO draft declaration pledges €70 billion to Ukraine ahead of Ankara summit

NATO member states are preparing to approve the allocation of €70 billion in military aid to Ukraine at the annual leaders’ summit to be held in Ankara, Türkiye, on June 7-8.

If these resources are secured, Ukraine’s total defense spending—combining its own domestic resources and foreign aid—will approximately match Russia’s budgeted defense expenditure for this year.

Although the Russian Federation continues to spend its budgeted amounts at a faster pace, a budgetary balance will have been established on paper.

Speaking to Politico, five diplomats from alliance member states said that NATO ambassadors have largely agreed on the text of the leaders’ joint declaration, though details may still change.

According to the diplomats, the draft declaration commits NATO countries to providing €70 billion (approximately $80 billion) in military support to Ukraine.

The US, however, is not participating in this specific support program.

When this amount is added to Ukraine’s own defense and security expenditures, the total budget will reach approximately $178 billion. Three days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law approving a 4.4 trillion hryvnia (approximately $98 billion) budget, which includes a loan from the European Union and drives defense spending to record levels.

By comparison, Russia’s official budget allocates 12.93 trillion rubles for defense.

While this amount equates to approximately $170 billion at current exchange rates, the ruble’s recent depreciation plays a role in this balance; indeed, just a month ago, the dollar equivalent of this sum exceeded $180 billion.

In contrast, according to calculations by Janis Kluge, a researcher at the Germany-based Institute for International and Security Affairs, Russia’s military spending in the first quarter of 2026 alone reached a record 5.908 trillion rubles (approximately $78 billion at the current exchange rate).

Ukraine, meanwhile, has managed to significantly increase its budget expenditures thanks to a €90 billion loan provided by the European Union. Kyiv is scheduled to receive half of this loan this year, with €31.8 billion of that portion planned to be used directly for defense spending.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking on Thursday at the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Gdansk, Poland, announced that the first tranche of €3.2 billion was transferred today.

According to an earlier Politico report citing Ukrainian Ministry of Defense data, NATO countries had already committed $38 billion in military aid to Ukraine for this year.

In addition, Kyiv planned to request an additional $20 billion from the alliance. The Ukrainian side aims to maintain the initiative it has gained in recent months by effectively utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles across all areas, from the front line to occupied territories.

These vehicles, while cutting off Russian supply lines, also cause explosions and fires at oil refineries and defense industry facilities deep inside Russia.

Consequently, according to the draft declaration of the NATO leaders, Ukraine will receive more support than expected, potentially reaching a total of €70 billion.

According to information provided to Politico by the diplomats, the alliance will also commit to allocating at least an equivalent amount for next year.

If these plans are implemented, and with the addition of €45 billion allocated from the EU loan for the year 2027, Ukraine’s defense financing will continue to be strongly supported next year as well.