President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that without a decision on financial support Ukraine could face a budget deficit of $45–50bn in 2026, posing a direct threat to the state. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at a press conference in Brussels.
“We cannot allow Ukraine to be left without an answer on financial opportunities for the next year, because this is indeed a threat,” Zelenskyy said, adding that this is “not only about the front, but about Ukraine’s overall ability to fight.” Without such decisions, he warned, the risks for the country are “very high.”
Zelenskyy also cautioned that if a tranche is not received in the spring, Ukraine will be forced to cut drone production. “If this tranche does not arrive, Ukraine’s drone production will be reduced many times over,” he said, noting that this would directly affect the capabilities of the armed forces on the battlefield.
He separately backed Polish prime minister Donald Tusk’s warning on European security. “If Ukraine is not supported today, there is a high chance that Europe will end up paying not with money, but with blood. I fully agree,” the president said.
Speaking about reparations loans based on frozen Russian assets, Zelenskyy stressed that this is not only a financial issue but also a matter of principle. “The more correct form is reparation loans, so that we all understand, and Russia understands, that it is guilty and will have to pay reparations,” he said.
Zelenskyy also reiterated that Ukraine views accession to the European Union as part of its security guarantees. “For us, membership in the European Union is a security guarantee — not only economic and political, but also geopolitical,” he said, adding that decisions should not be blocked for political reasons.
At the same time, he said Ukraine’s position on NATO remains unchanged. “I do not believe we need to change the Constitution. This is Ukraine’s Constitution, and it is for the Ukrainian people to decide what to do with it,” the president said, commenting on debates over NATO membership.