EU provides Ukraine with $1 billion tranche under G7 loan covered by Russian assets
Ukraine has received 1 billion euro ($ 1.1 billion) from the European Union under the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative, the European Commission announced on May 8.
The ERA mechanism, totaling $50 billion, provides loans to Ukraine that will be repaid using future profits from frozen Russian assets.
This is the fourth such tranche from the bloc which is secured by proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
The EU's contribution to the initiative totals 18.1 billion euros ($20.4). With the recent payment, the Commission's total lending to Ukraine under this MFA has reached 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) since the start of the year, the statement read.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that the government will use the funds to "cover critical budget expenditures and strengthen the state."
"It is part of a consistent and just response: the aggressor must pay for the devastation it has caused," Shmyhal wrote on X.
"We are counting on further steps — full confiscation of assets and toughening sanctions in response to Russia's continued atrocities," he added.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, G7 countries have frozen approximately $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets.
The ERA initiative, backed primarily by the U.S. and the EU, aims to use profits from these frozen assets to finance Ukraine's defense and reconstruction.
Previously, in March, Ukraine received the first tranche of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (about $1.7 billion) from Ottawa and 752 million pounds ($970 million) as the first installment of the U.K.'s contribution to the G7 loan.
Read also: 'Clearly, Ukraine is holding cards' — economist on why US pressure won't force Kyiv to concede
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
A scrambled G7 agenda as world leaders scramble to de-escalate the Israel-Iran conflict
The return on Donald Trump to the G7 was always going to be unpredictable. That it is happening against the backdrop of an escalating conflict in the Middle East makes it even more so. Expectations had already been low, with the Canadian hosts cautioning against the normal joint communique at the end of the summit, mindful that this group of leaders would struggle to find consensus. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney carefully laid down an agenda that was uncontroversial in a bid to avoid any blow-ups between President Trump and allies, who of late have been divided like never before - be it over tariffs and trade, Russia and Ukraine, or, more recently Israel's conduct in Gaza. But discussions around critical minerals and global supply chains will undoubtedly drop down the agenda as leaders convene at a precarious moment. Keir Starmer, on his way over to Canada for a bi-lateral meeting in Ottawa with PM Carney before travelling onto the G7 summit in Kananaskis, underscored the gravity of the situation as he again spoke of de-escalation, while also confirmed that the UK was deploying more British fighter jets to the region amid threats from Tehran that it will attack UK bases if London helps defend Israel against airstrikes. Really this is a G7 agenda scrambled as world leaders scramble to de-escalate the worst fighting between Tel Aviv and Tehran in decades. President Trump has for months been urging Israel not to strike Iran as he worked towards a diplomatic deal to halt uranium enrichment. Further talks had been due on Sunday - but are now not expected to go ahead. All eyes will be on Trump in the coming days, to see if the US - Israel's closest ally - will call on Israel to rein in its assault. The US has so far not participated in any joint attacks with Tel Aviv, but is moving warships and other military assets to the Middle East. Sir Keir, who has managed to strike the first trade deal with Trump, will want to leverage his "good relationship" with the US leader at the G7 to press for de-escalation in the Middle East, while he also hopes to use the summit to further discuss the further the interests of Ukraine with Trump and raise again the prospects of Russian sanctions. "We've got President Zelenskyy coming so that provides a good opportunity for us to discuss again as a group," the PM told me on the flight over to Canada. "My long-standing view is, we need to get Russia to the table for an unconditional ceasefire. That's not been really straightforward. But we do need to be clear about what we need to get to the table and that if that doesn't happen, sanctions will undoubtedly be part of the discussion at the G7." But that the leaders are not planning for a joint communique - a document outlining what the leaders have agreed - tells you a lot. When they last gathered with Trump in Canada for the G7 back in 2018, the US president rather spectacularly fell out with Justin Trudeau when the former Canadian president threatened to retaliate against US tariffs and refused to sign the G7 agreement. Since then, Trump has spoken of his desire to turn Canada into the 51st state of the US, a suggestion that helped catapult the Liberal Party beyond their Conservative rivals and back into power in the recent Canadian elections, as Mark Carney stood on a ticket of confronting Trump's aggression. With so much disagreement between the US and allies, it is hard to see where progress might be made over the next couple of days. But what these leaders will agree on is the need to take down the temperature in the Middle East and for all the unpredictability around these relationships, what is certain is a sense of urgency around Iran and Israel that could find these increasingly disparate allies on common ground.

an hour ago
G7 leaders gather in Canada for summit overshadowed by Middle East crisis and Trump's tariffs
BANFF, Alberta -- Leaders of some of the world's biggest economic powers will arrive in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of Seven summit overshadowed by a widening war across the Middle East and U.S. President Donald Trump's unresolved trade war with allies and rivals alike. Israel's strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world as Trump seeks to withdraw the U.S. from its role as world policeman. Speaking on a flight to Canada to attend the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the situation with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as other world leaders. Britain is sending Royal Air Force jets and other military reinforcements to the Middle East. 'We do have longstanding concerns about the nuclear program Iran has. We do recognize Israel's right to self-defense, but I'm absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate. There is a huge risk of escalation for the region and more widely," Starmer said, adding he expected 'intense discussions' would continue at the summit. As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting. With other leaders wanting to talk to Trump in an effort to talk him out of imposing tariffs, the summit risks being a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity. Trump is the summit wild card. Looming over the meeting are Trump's inflammatory threats to make Canada the 51st state and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron is making a highly symbolic stop in Greenland on his way to Canada, meeting the Arctic territory's leader and Denmark's prime minister aboard a Danish helicopter carrier. Macron, who is one of the very few leaders to have known Trump during his first term, was the first European leader to visit the White House after Trump took office, emerging unscathed from the Oval Office encounter. But despite the two leaders' sporadic bromance, Macron's approach to Trump has failed to bear major results, with France caught up in the president's planned tariffs on the European Union. Nor did it bring any U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine despite Macron's efforts, together with Starmer, to build a coalition of nations that could deploy forces after any ceasefire with Russia, with the hope it would convince the Trump administration to provide backup. Trump is scheduled to arrive late Sunday in Kananaskis, Alberta. Bilateral meetings between other leaders are possible Sunday, but the summit program does not get underway until Monday. Peter Boehm, Canada's sherpa of the 2018 G7 summit in Quebec and veteran of six G7 summits, expects the heads of state to pivot discussion to devote more time to the war. 'Leaders can accommodate a discussion, perhaps even a statement,' Boehm said. 'The foreign policy agenda has become much larger with this.' Leaders who are not part of the G7 but have been invited to the summit by Carney include the heads of state of India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico and the UAE. Avoiding tariffs will continue to be top of mind. 'Leaders, and there are some new ones coming, will want to meet Donald Trump,' Boehm said. 'Trump doesn't like the big round table as much he likes the one-on-one.' Bilateral meetings with the American president can be fraught as Trump has used them to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa. Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel this week that if Trump does act out, leaders should ignore him and remain calm like Carney did in his recent Oval Office meeting. 'He tends to be a bully,' Chrétien said. 'If Trump has decided to make a show to be in the news, he will do something crazy. Let him do it and keep talking normally.' Starmer had a warm Oval Office meeting with the president in February, wooing Trump with an invitation for a state visit from King Charles III. Trump has praised the British prime minister, despite their political differences. Last month Britain and the U.S. announced they had struck a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum. It has yet to take effect, however, though British officials say they are not concerned the Trump administration might go back on its word. Starmer's attempts to woo Trump have left him in an awkward position with Canada, the U.K.'s former colony, close ally and fellow Commonwealth member. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump's stated desire to make Canada the 51st state. Asked if he has told Trump to stop the 51st state threats, Starmer told The Associated Press: 'I'm not going to get into the precise conversations I've had, but let me be absolutely clear: Canada is an independent, sovereign country and a much-valued member of the Commonwealth.' The war in Ukraine will be on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the U.S. president. Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister for eight years. German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a 'six against one' event, noting that the G7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues. 'The only the problem you cannot forecast is what the president of the United States will do depending on the mood, the need to be in the news," said Chrétien. ____
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Japan's Ishiba heads to G7 to press Trump to drop auto tariffs
(Corrects to add dropped 'GDP' to second bullet point) By Tim Kelly TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba heads to Canada on Sunday for trade talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, hoping to persuade him to drop trade tariffs that have imperilled Japan's auto companies and threaten to undermine his fragile government. The two are expected to meet on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of Seven nations in Kananaskis, Alberta, for their second in-person encounter. It follows a sixth round of high-level trade talks in Washington on Friday. Japan's top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said he explored the possibility of an deal in detailed meetings with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The trick for Ishiba, who spoke with Trump by phone on Friday, will be to get the president to drop the 25% tariff he imposed on Japanese cars, as well as a paused 24% across-the-board levy that Trump calls a reciprocal tariff, without making concessions that could hurt the prime minister's public support at home. Returning to Tokyo with no deal would be better politically than conceding too much, analysts say. "If it goes badly, it could even be seen as a positive for Ishiba, standing up to Trump and standing up for his country when he's under assault," said Michael Cucek, a political science professor at Temple University in Tokyo. Ishiba and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party face an upper house election next month that comes after a lower house loss in November that left him reliant on the support of other parties to stay in power. Another poor electoral result could bring down his government and would force Trump to reset trade talks with a new Japanese administration. "The most important thing is that Ishiba does not cave in for a bad (auto) deal," said Joseph Kraft, a financial political analyst at Rorschach Advisory in Tokyo. "I expect there will be some kind of deal, although it could be haphazard. Trump needs some good news and I don't think he has much interest in G7 activities." Failing to reach an agreement in Canada might not have an immediate economic impact on Japan, but tariffs that stay in place will eventually drag down growth, said Asuka Tatebayashi, senior analyst at Mizuho Bank. "If you look at the data for car exports to the U.S. for April, it was quite striking. The volume in dollars was down by nearly 5%, but the number of cars has increased a lot," she said. "It means either they are only selling cheap cars or the manufacturers are absorbing the cost. I think the latter is the case and this is not very sustainable." Tariffs could shave 0.9% off Japan's gross domestic product, Mizuho Research & Technologies estimated in a report in April.