Politico: Ukraine Seeks $20 Billion From Allies to Continue Strikes on Russia, Retain Medium-Range Strike Advantage

Ukraine plans to request an additional $20 billion from its allies to sustain long-range strikes against Russia and preserve its advantage in medium-range attack drones, according to Politico, citing a senior Ukrainian Defense Ministry official.

Kyiv is expected to formally present the request on June 18 at the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format), where partner nations coordinate military aid for Ukraine.

“Everyone can see that Russia is on fire, and we want to intensify that pressure, but we need funding to do so,” the anonymous official said.

Sources told Politico that the proposal was discussed by Mykhailo Fedorov and other Ukrainian officials in meetings with counterparts from Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Canada.

To raise the required amount, Ukraine will ask each partner country to contribute between $2 billion and $6 billion, either in the form of direct financial assistance or loans.

Support for Ukraine is also expected to be a key topic at the NATO leaders’ summit in July in Ankara, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend on the sidelines.

According to the Ministry of Defence ofUkraine, partner countries have already committed $38 billion in military assistance for this year. An additional $20 billion would bring Ukraine closer to the $60 billion bilateral aid target set by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The publication notes that, if the additional funding is secured, Ukraine plans to allocate it to air defense systems, drones, ammunition, electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, and long-range weapons. The funds would also support direct procurement from Ukrainian defense companies and increase contributions to the PURL program, which is used to purchase U.S.-made weapons.

“The window of opportunity has a tendency to close. Russia is moving quickly and innovating. If we give it time to adapt once again, we may lose the only real chance to end this war through meaningful negotiations. And if Russia develops its own medium-range strike drones, it will be a disaster for us,” the senior official warned.

In recent months, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have been conducting a multi-layered campaign to disrupt Russian logistics and supply networks in the temporarily occupied territories using medium-range strike drones.

Ukrainian forces have also intensified their use of long-range drones, targeting facilities deep inside Russia, including oil refineries and fuel storage depots.