EU approves Ukraine request to buy Patriot components with military funds

European Union member states have agreed to allow Ukraine to use EU military financing to purchase crucial products for Patriot air defence systems, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.

“Together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, I welcome the agreement by the EU member states on the derogation for Ukraine to purchase crucial products for Patriot air defence systems,” Rutte wrote on X, Caliber.Az reports.

He said the next disbursement of $3.5 billion would help Ukraine strengthen the protection of its airspace against Russian attacks.

Together with @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen, I welcome the agreement by the EU member states on the derogation for Ukraine to purchase crucial products for Patriot air defence systems.

The next disbursement of $3.5 billion will enable Ukraine to better protect its skies…

— Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO) September 8, 2026

Rutte also noted that NATO allies had allocated more than $10 billion over the past year through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) and US Foreign Military Sales programmes for Ukraine. He said NATO and the EU would continue working together to support Kyiv, describing the decision as another example of Europe increasing its support for Ukraine.

The decision follows uncertainty over whether Ukraine could use funds from the EU’s €90 billion military financing programme to purchase US-made Patriot systems. On August 25, European Commission spokesperson Balázs Ujvári said the Commission had not authorised such purchases because the programme gives priority to weapons procured from European defence companies.

On September 1, however, Ukraine was reported to have formally requested permission to use more than €2 billion from the programme to purchase Patriot missiles.

By Sabina Mammadli