In a letter sent Monday, von der Leyen warned that Ukraine needs €83.4 billion for defense and €55.2 billion for economic stabilization. She proposed three options: member state grants, joint EU borrowing, or a reparations loan backed by frozen Russian assets, which could raise €140 billion. The Commission assumes the war may last until late 2026, making predictable funding critical. Belgium’s legal concerns over the use of Russian assets remain a key obstacle.