Ukraine Seeks Additional $20 Billion in Military Aid to Make Russia ‘Burn’

Ukraine plans to request an additional $20 billion in military aid from its allies as Kyiv seeks to capitalize on what officials describe as a temporary battlefield advantage over Russia, Politico reported.

According to the report on Thursday, the request will be formally presented during the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format, on June 18.

“Everyone sees that Russia is burning, and we want it to burn even more, but we need financing to do it,” a senior Ukrainian defense official told Politico on condition of anonymity.

The official warned that Ukraine’s current advantage may be temporary if additional funding does not arrive quickly.

“The window of opportunity tends to close,” the official said. “Russia is fast and innovative.”

Additional funding

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and other government officials have already discussed the proposal with representatives from Norway, Sweden, Germany and Canada, according to Politico.

Under the plan, allies would be asked to contribute between $2 billion and $6 billion each through either direct aid or loans.

The additional funding would be used to purchase air defense systems, drones, ammunition, electronic warfare equipment, and long-range strike capabilities.

Part of the funds would also support purchases through NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program and direct procurement from Ukrainian defense manufacturers.

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Ukraine’s defense budget for 2026 currently stands at Hr.4.4 trillion (about $85 billion), with the proposed package coming on top of existing spending commitments.

Kyiv seeks to maintain momentum

The request comes as Ukraine expands its campaign of strikes against military and industrial targets inside Russia.

On Friday, Ukraine launched long-range drone attacks on Russia Day, striking major petrochemical and oil refining facilities in Tatarstan and Samara region and forcing airspace restrictions.

In Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan, one of the country’s largest petrochemical plants, Nizhnekamskneftekhim (NKNK), was hit. Additionally, a drone was reported to have struck a 12-story residential building, injuring three people.

Nizhnekamsk Mayor Radmir Belyaev announced that all city celebrations for Russia Day, celebrated on June 12, have been canceled.

According to Politico, Ukrainian officials believe recent drone and missile attacks have increased pressure on Moscow by targeting oil refineries, logistics hubs, defense facilities, and military infrastructure.

“Ukrainian unmanned systems are successfully operating at various levels: from carrying out missions on the front lines to striking key enemy targets hundreds of kilometers deep into enemy territory,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.

A senior Ukrainian official told Politico that support from countries including Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands, have helped shift battlefield dynamics in Kyiv’s favor.

NATO summit approaching

The aid request is expected to become part of broader discussions ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara next month, where Zelensky is expected to attend on the sidelines.

According to Politico, partner countries have already committed approximately $38 billion in military assistance to Ukraine this year.

If approved, the additional $20 billion would bring total bilateral military support closer to the $60 billion target previously outlined by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized Ukraine’s plans to seek additional aid, describing the request as evidence of what she called “political self-harm.”

Ukrainian officials, however, argue that additional resources are necessary to maintain pressure on Russia before Moscow adapts to Kyiv’s evolving drone and strike capabilities.