"The war will cost €155 billion next year," Zelenskyy at European Council in Brussels

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the cost of war at €155 billion for the next year amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He said the funds are required to "hold Russia back."

Addressing the European Council meeting in Brussels, the president said, "The war will cost 155 billion euros next year." He called the amount as realistic in order to maintain its' position at the front lines of conflict.

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. This is a realistic amount. And I ask you to find this support. It will help us hold Russia back. There are some very simple facts. We stop most Russian assaults on the front line thanks to drones. We cut Russian supply lines with these technologies. And our drones are helping to weaken Russia’s economy. Right now, we could produce two or three times more drones – depending on the type. But we simply don’t have enough money for that. It’s true. Just imagine if we could put two or three times more pressure on Russia than we do today. From an address to the participants of the European Council meeting. (4/5)

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 16, 2026