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EU Leaders to Press Andy Burnham for More Ukraine Defence Funding
EU leaders will press UK prime minister Andy Burnham at a Brussels summit to contribute more to Ukraine's defence funding, after Ukraine warned of a €70bn (£58bn) shortfall in 2027. Ursula von der Leyen will also urge Canadian prime minister Mark Carney to help fill the gap.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 23, 2026
• 1 Min Read
Brussels says other partners must step up
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will call on Mark Carney to contribute to Ukraine's looming financial shortfall at an EU-Canada summit in Toronto next week, and a similar request awaits Burnham when he meets von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa in Brussels on 20 November.
EU officials argue that the UK, Canada and Japan should do more to support Ukraine, saying their entreaties to these G7 countries for extra financial aid at recent international meetings have not been answered. Officials have prioritised non-EU G7 countries above all, and may now also look to Switzerland, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand for additional aid.
Asked last week about the gap, von der Leyen said: "We will continue to lead, but we urgently need other partners to step up," without naming countries. The Commission declined to comment on specific countries but pointed to a statement: "We always said that we cannot walk this alone … therefore our partners in general must step up."
