President Volodymyr Zelensky said that under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme €21,3 bn remains that the European Union (EU) can reallocate to defence projects, and added: “Financial support is important for us. We are discussing the SAFE programme — there is currently €21 bn left, and there are positive signals on how other countries can use this money in co‑production with Ukraine.”
Where the €21,3 bn came from and how much was there originally
Security Action for Europe (SAFE) — a programme that provides EU countries with long‑term loans totalling up to €150 bn. It was launched in 2025 as part of the Readiness 2030 strategy to accelerate rearmament and strengthen the defence industry.
In November 2025 EU member states submitted their defence investment plans; 19 countries requested over €130 bn in loan financing, but some applied for smaller sums than previously agreed. As a result, part of the budget remained unused, and it is these funds — €21,3 bn — that the European Commission proposed to reallocate in a second round published on 29 October 2026.
How Ukraine can benefit from SAFE
The SAFE programme does not provide direct loans to Ukraine: the borrowers are EU states, which use the funds to procure weapons and to develop defence production. At the same time, member states can organise joint procurements involving a third party.
Ukrainian manufacturers can take part in such joint procurements on equal terms and compete for contracts under the programme. Of the 19 national plans submitted to the European Commission, 15 envisage projects involving Ukraine, creating potential opportunities for cooperation with European producers.
