European countries have promised €21 billion (£18.2 billion) in new military aid to Ukraine, calling 2025 a “critical year” in the ongoing war. The pledge was made during a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

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With the U.S. showing signs of shifting its focus under Donald Trump’s leadership, European nations are stepping up to help fill the gap—offering weapons, air defence systems, missiles, and other equipment to support Ukraine on the battlefield.

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Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said his country would provide €11 billion in aid over the next four years. The UK’s Defence Secretary, John Healey, said the collective pledges would send a strong message to Russia that European support remains firm.

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Friday’s announcements included a £450 million package from the UK and Norway. The support will go toward drones, radar systems, anti-tank mines, and vehicle repairs.

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Healey clarified that this amount is part of the £4.5 billion the UK had already committed earlier this year—the largest single pledge to Ukraine in 2025 so far.

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Air defence was a key topic at the meeting. Healey noted that Russia had dropped 10,000 glide bombs on Ukraine and launched about 100 attack drones per day in the first three months of the year.

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At this stage in the war, battlefield casualties on both sides inflicted by drones "way outnumber those inflicted by artillery", the UK defence secretary said."In our calculations, 70% to 80% of battlefield casualties are now caused and inflicted by drones," he added.Defence ministers from 50 nations gathered in Brussels for the 27th gathering of the UDCG.

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth joined the meeting remotely, telling allies that America appreciated all the work "you guys" are doing.Pistorious said it Hegseth's decision was a matter of "schedules" rather than "priorities", and that the "most important fact was that he took part".

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