The European Commission opened a second €21.3 billion defense-loan call for EU governments and encouraged joint procurement with Ukraine in their investment plans to address urgent military needs.
The Commission listed air and missile defense systems, drones and counter-drone equipment, ammunition and missiles as priority needs for Ukrainian and member-state armed forces. All EU member states may express interest in the round. Its funding is part of Security Action for Europe (SAFE), a €150 billion long-maturity loan program adopted in May 2025.
The Commission says SAFE is intended to accelerate defense investment, strengthen readiness and resilience, and build up Europe’s defense industrial base through cooperation. “These loans are taken by the member states,” Commission official Thomas Regnier said at an Oct. 29 briefing.
Regnier said the regulation had not changed and the criteria for the call remained the same. The Commission said 19 participating countries had requested more than €130 billion under SAFE and that all their national plans had been approved.
Figures released by the Commission on Oct. 29 showed loan agreements approved for 19 countries and signed by 16. Almost €13.5 billion had been disbursed to 11 states that requested prefinancing, the Commission said.
Governments will first tell the Commission whether they want to take part. Regnier said the Commission would then provide tentative allocations before states submit updated plans for reassessment. The Commission said those allocations would come within two weeks after the submission deadline, which it has not announced. The briefing did not explain how it would handle demand above the €21.3 billion available.
