Europe allocates nearly EUR 1.6B for drones for Ukraine in first four months of 2026
European countries have significantly increased funding for unmanned systems for Ukrainian forces, allocating approximately EUR 1.6 billion to this area between January and April 2026.
According to Ukrinform, the figures come from the latest research by the Ukraine Support Tracker of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
"European donors are now entering drone financing and production on a large scale. As a result, support for Ukraine is increasingly becoming a two-way exchange: financial aid flows to Ukraine, while technological spillovers flow back to Europe," said Christoph Trebesch, head of the Ukraine Support Tracker.
The institute noted that the importance of drones in European military aid has increased substantially within just a few years.
"In real terms, confirmed bilateral military aid allocated to drones grew from EUR 400 million in 2022 to EUR 1 billion in 2024 and EUR 1.2 billion in 2025, before surging to approximately EUR 1.6 billion in the first four months of 2026 alone. These figures include only provisions that can be clearly attributed to European donors. The actual volume is therefore likely even higher," the report said.
Particularly striking in March and April 2026 was the sharp rise in drone-related allocations. The United Kingdom allocated at least 120,000 drones – the largest drone allocation ever announced as part of a single allocation. Germany and Norway each allocated approx. EUR 500 million for drone procurement, while the Netherlands allocated around EUR 250 million.
Major donors such as Germany and the Netherlands are increasingly allocating drones jointly with Ukrainian defense firms, strengthening Ukraine while also fostering innovation in Europe.
The Kiel Institute also noted that European states maintained their military support for Ukraine at a high level and expanded drone-related aid allocations in particular. By contrast, financial and humanitarian aid allocations slowed markedly in the first four months of 2026 –mainly due to delayed EU funding.
In March and April 2026, Germany allocated military aid worth EUR 4.2 billion, primarily for air defense and drones. The United Kingdom allocated EUR 1.3 billion, and Norway another EUR 600 million.
At the same time, financial support declined sharply over the same period, mainly due to the absence of EU funding. The largest financial aid package came not from Europe but from Japan, which allocated EUR 1.1 billion through the second tranche of the ERA loan mechanism, backed by proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
The Ukraine Support Tracker tracks and quantifies military, financial, and humanitarian assistance pledged to Ukraine since January 24, 2022. Included are 41 countries, specifically the EU member states, the other members of the G7, Australia, South Korea, Turkey, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, Turkey, China, Taiwan, India, and Iceland.
Photo: Mariia Kovalchuk