The European Commission on Thursday opened a €21.3 billion defense loan round to every EU member state, expanding access to funding for urgent military needs and joint procurement with Ukraine.
Governments can apply for financing under Security Action for Europe (SAFE). The Commission encouraged member states to include common procurement with Ukraine in their investment plans and said the program aims to strengthen defense readiness and Europe’s defense industrial base through cooperation.
The Commission’s urgent-needs list spans defenses against air and missile attacks, drones and counter-drone equipment, as well as ammunition and missiles for Ukrainian and EU member states’ armed forces. SAFE was adopted in May 2025 as a €150 billion long-term loan program.
Some governments sought less than the amounts they had initially agreed to request when they submitted defense industry plans in November 2025, the Commission said. The second call is open to all member states.
For the first round, the Commission approved loan agreements for all 19 member states that opted into SAFE and signed agreements with 16. Eleven member states that requested prefinancing have received nearly €13.5 billion, according to the Commission. The Commission also recently approved Hungary’s €5.4 billion defense plan, which still requires a separate decision by the Council of the European Union.
Member states are to submit target amounts for the new round. The Commission expects to provide tentative allocations within two weeks after the submission deadline and receipt of those amounts.
