'Significant' number of EU countries back speeding up Ukraine funding, Ireland says

WICKLOW, Ireland, Sept ‌1 (Reuters) - A significant ​number ​of European Union member states support bringing forward the disbursement of funds under an EU ‌loan to Ukraine to help its war effort, ⁠Ireland's defence minister said on Tuesday after hosting a meeting of ‌EU colleagues.

Ukraine relies heavily ‌on foreign funds in its fight against Russia, now in its fifth year, including a €90 billion loan that ​the EU agreed to disburse over the course of 2026 and 2027.

New Ukrainian defence minister Yevhenii Khmara, ⁠who addressed EU ministers via video link at an informal gathering in Ireland, ​said on Sunday he would ask to bring forward part of the €45 billion in payments ​scheduled for next year.

"What I think ‌was very clear from our presentation from the (Ukrainian) defence minister is that there is ⁠a gap. So I do believe that there was a significant number of member states that supported that ask," Ireland's ⁠Helen McEntee told a press conference.

As the gathering was informal, ministers were ​not in a position to make any formal decisions.

McEntee, who hosted the meeting as Ireland currently holds the EU's rotating six-month ‌presidency, added that any frontloading of the funds would need to be agreed by ‌EU governments and the European Commission:

"It is obviously beyond today ⁠but I think we ‌need to advocate, ​insofar as possible, for bringing that forward."

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries; Editing by Kevin ‌Liffey)

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