Estonia has announced it will allocate over €100 million (roughly US$117 million) in military aid to Ukraine in 2026, reaffirming its commitment to Kyiv amid ongoing war with Russia. The announcement came from Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur during a visit to Kyiv, as Tallinn seeks to deepen support in the face of continued Russian aggression.
Central to Estonia’s plan is maintaining a contribution equal to 0.25% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually to support Ukraine’s defence efforts. A significant portion of the aid will be sourced from Estonia’s own defence industry, with domestic manufacturers supplying weaponry, equipment, and other military material.
Beyond supplying matériel, Estonia also intends to continue training Ukrainian service members and backing information-technology (IT) solutions in support of Ukraine’s defence infrastructure. This multidimensional approach reflects Estonia’s strategy of combining hard military aid with auxiliary systems that bolster resilience and tactical operations.
Estonia has already been a large contributor relative to its size: since Russia’s large-scale invasion began in February 2022, Tallinn has provided over €500 million in military aid to Ukraine—around 1.4% of its GDP—making it one of Kyiv’s staunchest European supporters proportionally.
The pledge comes at a time when Ukraine continues to face sustained pressure on its front lines. Estonian leaders argue that steady, predictable aid is essential for Ukraine both to defend itself and to plan for long-term recovery and deterrence. Minister Pevkur emphasized that Estonia’s defence industry will play a crucial role in ensuring rapid delivery and relevance of the aid.
Politically, the move also signals Estonia’s ongoing alignment with NATO and EU expectations for burden sharing among member states. By codifying an annual aid level tied to GDP, Estonia joins a minority of countries that use such fiscal formulas to ensure consistency in military assistance.
