Where exactly does this €1.4 billion come from?

The funds come from interest earned on cash balances of the Russian central bank, which the European Union froze in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

When was the money transferred to the European Union?

According to information from the European Commission, the amount was transferred to the bloc on August 3, 2026.

Is this the first time the EU has given Ukraine money from Russian assets?

No, this is a continuation of an existing practice. The EU has previously used revenues from immobilized Russian assets for financial aid to Kyiv.

Politics

Von der Leyen: EU gives Ukraine another €1.4 billion

Q: What will Ukraine use these funds for?

Commission President von der Leyen stated that the money will support Ukraine's continued resistance against Russia's war, but the specific purpose has not been detailed further.

B.V. · Prije 2h | 2 min

The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday that interest income from immobilized Russian assets will be directed to support Ukraine's resistance.

Summary

The EU will provide Ukraine with an additional €1.4 billion from interest on frozen Russian assets.
The decision was announced on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The funds were transferred to the EU on August 3 and are intended to support Ukraine's resistance.
Von der Leyen stated that Russia must pay for the destruction it has caused.

The European Union continues its practice of using revenues from frozen Russian assets to provide financial aid to Ukraine. The European Commission announced on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, that it will make an additional €1.4 billion available to Kyiv, equivalent to approximately $1.6 billion.

This amount comes from interest on cash balances that are part of the Russian central bank's assets frozen in the EU following the start of the invasion of Ukraine. The funds were transferred to the bloc on August 3, 2026, the Commission said.

"Russia must pay for the destruction"

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was direct in her statement. "Russia must pay for the destruction it has caused. And we are using the revenues from immobilized Russian assets to ensure it does," she said in a statement carried by Reuters.

Von der Leyen emphasized the purpose of this financial injection. "We are making an additional €1.4 billion available to Ukraine. This will support Ukraine's continued resistance against Russia's illegal war," she added. The funds are intended to strengthen Ukraine's defense and resistance amid Russian aggression.

Aid mechanism and Croatian context

This is not the first time the EU has used revenues from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine; it represents a continuation of an established practice. Since the start of Russia's invasion, the EU has blocked significant assets of the Russian central bank, and now the income from those assets is being redirected as direct support to Kyiv.

Although the news has no direct Croatian component, this decision from Brussels directly affects Croatia as an EU member state. Decisions on using common mechanisms and funds to support Ukraine are part of the broader European policy in which Zagreb participates, thereby confirming the continuity of the Union's strong financial and political support for Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression.