German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is expected to present a new mechanism for financing Ukraine’s defence without direct U.S. involvement, according to Der Spiegel.


The proposal is set to be discussed at a meeting with NATO counterparts in Helsingborg.


The initiative aims to ensure long-term financial support for Ukraine’s defence needs, amid estimates that Kyiv could face a budget shortfall of around €40 billion over the next two years.


Under the reported plan, NATO allies would help cover Ukraine’s defence funding gap while potentially gaining access to Ukrainian drone technologies, which European countries are said to lack at scale.


No detailed framework for the proposed mechanism has yet been disclosed.


By Sabina Mammadli