EU commits to €3.5 billion aid for Ukraine in March as von der Leyen marks invasion anniversary

Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv by train on February 24 morning to commemorate the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, arriving at a moment when Donald Trump’s push for negotiations is unsettling European allies. 

Upon arrival, she announced that a new €3.5 billion aid tranche would be transferred to Ukraine in March as part of ongoing financial support, Caliber.Az reports referring to foreign media.

Speaking in Kyiv, von der Leyen declared, “Europe is here to strengthen Ukraine in these critical times. I can confirm that a new €3.5 billion aid package will be delivered to Ukraine in March.”

This payment is part of the EU’s €50 billion macro-financial assistance program, which will continue through the end of 2027. The funds, raised by the European Commission through loans, will be repaid by 2042.

Although Brussels has managed to cover Ukraine's financial needs for the year, uncertainty remains over the supply of weapons after the summer. "We must speed up the immediate delivery of weapons and ammunition. And this will be at the heart of our work in the coming weeks," von der Leyen told media outlets while traveling to Kyiv. "We believe in a free and sovereign Ukraine on its path towards the European Union."

Von der Leyen is also set to announce plans to integrate Ukraine and Moldova into the European Union’s electricity market by the end of this year.

She is accompanied in Kyiv by her College of European Commissioners, who are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian government officials to deepen relations. Other Western leaders, including European Council President António Costa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, will also be in Kyiv to mark the solemn anniversary and reaffirm their solidarity with Ukraine. They will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to express continued support.

This marks von der Leyen’s ninth visit to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, though this visit takes place in a drastically different context from her previous trips. European capitals are closely monitoring the unfolding situation as Trump’s attempts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia threaten to disrupt three years of transatlantic policy.

Since Trump’s February 12 phone call with Vladimir Putin — which was conducted without consultation with allies — Brussels has been working to navigate the shifting diplomatic landscape, aiming to ensure that European concerns are addressed.

Last week saw an uptick in diplomatic activity, with European leaders engaging in talks to close ranks. More discussions are planned, including a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Trump in Washington, as well as an emergency summit of all 27 EU leaders on March 6, hosted by Costa.

At the summit, von der Leyen plans to present a "comprehensive plan" to boost arms production and defense capabilities across the EU. This initiative could also support Ukraine by bringing more weapons to the frontlines in its fight against Russian forces.

It remains uncertain whether this blueprint will be enough to convince the White House that Europe deserves a role in future negotiations. Despite the clear link between Europe’s long-term security and Ukraine’s stability, the continent has so far been excluded from the talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sought to reassure European allies by keeping them updated on his contacts with Russia, emphasizing that these efforts do not mark a shift in America’s foreign policy. Rubio has also stated that Europeans will be invited to the negotiating table when sanctions relief for Russia is considered.

By Tamilla Hasanova