EU Defence Ministers Meet in Brussels on Ukraine and Readiness

EU defence ministers gathered at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels on Tuesday 12 May 2026 for the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), chaired by High Representative Kaja Kallas. Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov joined the meeting via videolink, alongside NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, for an informal exchange on Russia’s war of aggression and on European military support to Kyiv.

Fedorov via VTC: weapons, ammunition, defence innovation

“The principle that we always underline is that Ukraine is in the driving seat,” a senior EU source said in the run-up to the meeting. “It’s very important that Ukraine decides what the needs are, what is being purchased, and it gives Ukraine predictability.” The discussion follows the European Commission’s confirmation on Monday that the first tranche of the EU’s EUR 90 billion loan to Ukraine — valued at EUR 9.1 billion — will be disbursed “as soon as possible” during Q2 2026. A central question for ministers is how much of the EUR 60 billion earmarked for defence will be spent on European arms, and which ones.

EU defence readiness and the ASD meeting

Ministers also debated the EU’s defence preparedness, with a focus on implementation, in line with the conclusions of the March 2026 European Council. The exchange of views was preceded by an informal meeting with Micael Johansson, President of the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). According to a senior official, the discussion is expected to focus on the production of air defence equipment — a structural shortage repeatedly flagged by Kyiv. Twelve Member States have reportedly responded to a letter from High Representative Kallas and Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius mapping capabilities that could be provided to Ukraine.

Middle East and the EU Threat Analysis

The Council also reviewed the situation in the Middle East in light of the latest developments in the war in Iran and its implications for EU security and defence. EU defence ministers were briefed on the outcomes of the updated comprehensive EU Threat Analysis, an internal document feeding into the Strategic Compass implementation. Before the Council, ministers met in the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board under Kallas’s chairwomanship in her capacity as Head of EDA.

EUMAM Ukraine: more than 87,500 soldiers trained

Since 2022, the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine — EUMAM Ukraine — has trained more than 87,500 Ukrainian soldiers. An additional EUR 409 million was allocated for two more years (November 2024 — November 2026) following the EUMAM extension. Through the ammunition initiative launched by Kallas, the EU supplied Ukraine with two million rounds of large-calibre ammunition in 2025, with 25 Member States actively participating. The EU has also invested EUR 1.5 billion from extraordinary revenue from Russian immobilised assets to support Ukraine’s own defence industry.

What ministers said

After the Council, ministers were expected to discuss informally the security and defence outlook for 2026 over a working dinner. The Defence Council closes a two-day cycle in Brussels that began on Monday 11 May with the regular Foreign Affairs Council, where Kallas secured political agreement on sanctions against Hamas leaders and Israeli settlers after Hungary’s new government dropped its long-standing veto.