France Seeks to Limit Ukraine's Non-EU Military Purchases from EU Loan Funds
France is advocating for stricter limitations on Ukraine's ability to purchase military equipment from outside the European Union using funds from the EU's €90 billion loan. This loan, approved by EU countries for 2026–2027, allocates €60 billion for military assistance and €30 billion for economic support. Under the current terms, Ukraine can spend no more than 35% of the defense product value on purchases from non-EU and non-European Economic Area countries. However, Kyiv can request exemptions if European manufacturers cannot provide the necessary equipment in terms of quantity, timeframe, or acceptable price. So far, the European Commission has approved two such exemptions for Ukraine: one for Chinese drone components and another for U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles, acknowledging insufficient European production capacity in these areas. France's position is that these exemptions should be temporary, aiming to direct a larger share of EU-backed funds towards European defense manufacturers, partic... 
