Brussels (Dispatches) - The European Commission and Ukraine on Thursday agreed to move swiftly on allocating €45 billion ($50 billion) under the Ukraine Support Loan for 2027, according to a joint statement.
The two sides said the allocation would be subject to established conditions and that work would also begin to identify additional budgetary and defense needs for Ukraine.
“All sides agreed that other partners should also fulfil their financial commitments and step up their efforts in light of the significant challenges Ukraine is facing,” the statement said.
The European Commission and Ukraine also agreed to hold monthly meetings to coordinate their joint efforts, it added.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the first combat use of a domestically developed FP-7 tactical ballistic missile.
“Ukrainian tactical ballistic missile. FP-7. First combat use. Thank you for the result,” Zelensky wrote on X, attaching the statement with a video.
Zelensky added that the missile would now move into the production stage.
Developed by Ukrainian company Fire Point, the FP-7 is designed to carry a payload of up to 200 kilograms and strike targets at ranges of up to 250 km.
The ground-launched missile is being developed as a ballistic interceptor for the Freyja program.
In a post on Telegram, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russia-launched drones struck the Southern Bridge during an attack on the Ukrainian capital on Thursday.
Klitschko said that two drones hit the area near the bridge’s support section.
The Kyiv City State Administration said traffic over the bridge had been temporarily suspended. A preliminary inspection found no critical damage to the structure.