Zelensky's New Demands: "We Need at Least 780 Billion SEK from You Next Year"

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again appealed to the EU for more funds to continue the war against Russia. During Friday’s EU summit in Brussels, he requested at least another 780 billion SEK for next year. According to the president, Ukraine’s total war costs by 2027 are expected to exceed the equivalent of 1,727 billion SEK.

It wasn’t long ago that the EU, after Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán lost power earlier this year, managed to agree on a massive loan to Ukraine of around 1,000 billion SEK, intended to cover the country’s economic needs during 2026 and 2027.

This initiative was highlighted by, among others, Zelensky, the President of the EU Commission, and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) as an important step towards peace and in covering Ukraine’s economic needs.

It was before the EU’s heads of state and government that Zelensky on Friday presented Ukraine’s extensive economic needs for the coming year. The president pointed out that Russia plans to continue increasing its military spending and that Ukraine therefore needs additional economic support from its EU allies.

Prior to Friday’s summit with EU leaders, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz also announced that the union will need to increase its economic support for Ukraine. Now, Zelensky has clarified the amounts involved.

According to him, the war is estimated to cost Ukraine 155 billion euros in 2027, corresponding to about 1,727 billion SEK. Of this money, he wants the EU to contribute at least another 70 billion euros, or about 780 billion SEK, to finance the country’s defense and ongoing war efforts.

– The war will cost 155 billion euros next year. And we need at least 70 billion euros more from you – for defense, for weapons, and for our resilience. It’s a realistic amount. And I ask you to find this support, Zelensky told EU leaders.

Russia Plans Record-Large Military Budget

Zelensky’s request comes at a time when Russia is preparing further increases to its military spending. According to reports in Ukrainian media, the Kremlin plans to allocate about 17.1 trillion rubles, approximately 180 billion euros, to defense in 2027.

This means an increase of 27 percent compared to previous budgets and would mark the highest level since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

Ukraine’s economic needs are extensive even beyond the new request Zelensky made on Friday. The country’s Finance Minister, Serhiy Marchenko, stated last month that Ukraine lacks the equivalent of 32.6 billion dollars in economic support and an additional 45 billion dollars for defense.

The EU has previously set up a loan program totaling 90 billion euros for Ukraine for the years 2026 and 2027. At the same time, the union has urged other international allies to contribute more money.

Before Friday’s summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also announced that Europe will need to increase its economic support for Ukraine.

Zelensky, Merz and Putin. Photo: President.gov.ua / Kremlin

The Claim: 43,000 Dead Russians – Per Month

In an interview with British journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan, Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russia loses around 43,000 soldiers every month.

This figure is reported to include both killed and wounded who are thus removed from the front. Of these 43,000, between 20,000 and 25,000 soldiers are said to be killed in action.

When the British journalist then asked Ukraine’s president how many Ukrainian soldiers are killed, the answer was much more hesitant. Zelensky seemed to want to avoid the question and initially stated that he could not provide any figures. But after some hesitation, he did give a reply.

– I… I can’t reveal that. But, but, just between us, it’s seven to ten, one to seven, one to ten, says Zelensky.

– The ratio? asks Morgan.

– Yes, says Zelensky.

– For every Ukrainian soldier killed, seven to ten Russian soldiers are killed, Morgan clarifies.

Ukraine’s president also claims that the ratio between killed and wounded differs greatly between the two armies. On the Russian side, almost as many soldiers are killed as wounded, while Ukraine, according to Zelensky, has five to six wounded soldiers for every one killed.

Trump: Ukraine Has Lost 30 Percent of Its Territory

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to ease sanctions in order to improve access to Russian diesel, both in the US and globally. The announcement came in the context of the ongoing energy crisis, which has worsened due to the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

The American president also claimed, despite Ukraine’s claim of 43,000 dead Russians per month, that Ukraine has lost significantly more of its territory than previously reported in the media.

– Zelensky has lost 30 percent of his country and over a million people, in total over two million people have been killed on both sides. It’s a war that should never have started, said Trump, and continued:

– And I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president. Because he could have made many deals, but for some reason he never does.

Ukraine has been careful about reporting any casualty numbers at all. But President Volodymyr Zelensky presented much lower death tolls at the start of 2026.

In an interview with French outlet France 2, which was, among others, cited by Euronews in February, he said that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had officially been confirmed dead since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Zelensky at the same time acknowledged that a large number of Ukrainian soldiers are still missing, but did not specify how many are involved.

Ukraine’s former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed this past summer, has also stated that about two million Ukrainians are avoiding mobilization and that an additional 200,000 soldiers are absent without leave from their units.