The European Commission called on Thursday evening for EU member states to utilize funding worth €21.3 billion, as part of the second round of the "Security for Europe" (SAFE) program, aiming to enhance European defense capabilities and expand military cooperation with Ukraine.
The Commission clarified in a statement published on its website that the new round of funding is available to all member states, noting that it will determine the initial allocations for each country within two weeks of the deadline for submitting applications, based on the amounts requested by participating countries.
Supporting Ukrainian Defense Capabilities
The Commission urged member states to include joint defense procurement operations with Ukraine in their investment plans, thereby contributing to meeting their national defense needs and supporting Ukrainian military priorities, particularly in the fields of air and missile defense systems, drones and counter-drone systems, as well as ammunition and missiles.
Defense Loan Program
The new funding falls under the SAFE long-term defense loan program, which the European Union approved in May 2025, with a total value of €150 billion, aiming to accelerate investments in defense capabilities and strengthen European military industries.
Member states submitted their investment plans in the defense industry sector in November 2025, while some countries requested funding lower than the initial allocations assigned to them.
Implementing Financial Agreements
According to the statement, the European Union has so far approved loan agreements with 19 countries that decided to participate in the program, and the Commission has signed agreements with 16 of them. Additionally, it has disbursed approximately €13.5 billion to 11 countries that applied for advance funding.
The SAFE program is one of the fundamental pillars of the European Defense Readiness Plan for 2030. It aims to raise the level of defense readiness and resilience, and strengthen the European defense industrial base, by increasing investments, expanding cooperation among member states, and encouraging joint defense procurement.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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