As of summer of 2026, Ukraine lacks of at least three key conditions, including those essential to continue the war, – such as substantial and available financial resources and the world’s best anti-missile systems – as well as elections which could demonstrate that, despite the war with Russia, the country is still on the path of democracy. However, the situation is far more complex than it may seem at first glance.
With regard to the difficulties Ukraine is facing, a shortage of funds is definitely not the most pressing one. This is something President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged during his recent visit to Serbia. ’What is needed from Europe? I genuinely believe that more support is needed… Money is needed, but resolving only the money question is not enough – all that money still needs to be channelled in the right direction so that it is used to maximum effect in Ukraine’, he said in response to journalists’ question.
When it comes to European support for Ukraine, it is worth noting that on 30 July the European Commission transferred a further €3.47 bn to Kyiv within the defence component of the €90bn loan. It is also important to mention that Ukraine can expect at least one new defence tranche in August.
The recent comments by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, suggesting that now is the time to resume active discussions on frozen Russian assets and how they can be used to support Ukraine indicate that Kyiv needs foreign financial assistance more than ever before. Sybiha said that Ukraine needs this support to maintain macro-financial stability adding that using the frozen assets for Ukraine would be fair, noting that World Bank estimates put the damage Russia has caused to Ukrainian infrastructure at more than US$600bn.
In an interview with CNN, President Zelenskyy highlighted another key defence product that Ukraine needs to continue defence operations, namely the US-made Patriots. He said that Ukraine needs 5% of the US stock of Patriot interceptor missiles to survive the winter and 10% to destroy all Russian ballistic missiles. He also acknowledged that Ukraine has only 1%. The Ukrainian president said he had contacted the White House directly, through calls and messages, as well as indirectly through allies, asking for increased assistance with Patriot systems.
The number of Russian ballistic attacks has surged in recent weeks, hitting Kyiv particularly hard, as Moscow takes advantage of Ukraine’s Patriot interceptor missile stocks being close to zero. It is currently unclear how US President Donald Trump’s promise to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptor missiles itself will be implemented. Largely due to a shortage of Patriots, July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the UN.
From a military perspective, another undesirable development for Kyiv is that the Pentagon is relinquishing leadership of the NATO command in Germany, which coordinates military aid to Ukraine. This US-led group has played a central role in equipping and training the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the start of the war. As a result of the decision, the US will no longer be involved in shaping the future structure of the Ukrainian army. Overall, it seems that US support for Ukraine is weakening.
Furthermore, ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for elections in Ukraine. Fedorov hinted that Ukraine must find a lawful, safe and realistic mechanism that would enable a full democratic process to be restored even if the war drags on, saying that ’democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia.’ Fedorov also said that it is ’particularly dangerous when society begins to sense that the main criterion for someone’s appointment is not their professionalism, the results they achieve or their ability to change the country, but their personal loyalty to the system’. He also mentioned another problem Ukraine is facing – a systemic governance crisis and criticised the influence of private interests on the work of parliament, particularly in defence, pharmaceuticals, gambling and taxation.
Given the former defence minister’s overwhelming public support, his harsh criticism as well as his call for elections may mark the beginning of a new era in Ukraine when the question of preparing for a life after Zelenskyy is being raised which, ultimately, may pave the way for a peaceful Ukrainian future.
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