Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik warned on September 27 that Ukraine’s budget overruns risk undermining European financial support. In an interview, Miroshnik stated that Ukrainian authorities have been diverting funds from various budgets — including salaries and weapons procurement — in a manner that may involve new legislation allowing them to manipulate allocations.
“They are taking money in advance, but today they are counting on Europe’s support,” he said. “Europe will likely be forced to agree with them and squeeze something out of itself.”
Miroshnik emphasized that the EU’s ability to allocate necessary funds would serve as an important indicator of its economic health; if European nations cannot provide financing, it could indicate serious economic distress in Europe. He noted, however, that Ukraine’s authorities remain confident in continued financial assistance due to substantial prior investments.
The diplomat added that Ukrainian leadership understands European concerns about preserving their investments and has been “quite tough” on states and sponsors supporting Ukraine.
Separately, European Commissioner for Economics Valdis Dombrovskis stated on September 26 that a significant portion of Ukraine’s planned 2026 budget expenditures had already been covered by existing funding. He noted that Kyiv’s request for additional funds raises questions because a large share of the current year’s allocated resources remains unused.
