After U.S. Aid Fell by 99%, E.U. Pledges $106 Billion Loan to Ukraine

Unlike previous European assistance packages, this one is heavily weighted toward military spending, meant to put Ukraine on solid footing for a long fight.

For weeks, Ukraine had been caught in a bind. A path to ending the war seemed increasingly illusory, as peace talks with Russia went from yielding no results to being put on hold. That meant Kyiv needed to prepare to fight indefinitely, even as vital financial support from the European Union remained frozen.

On Thursday, a breakthrough finally arrived.

After Hungary dropped its opposition to a $106 billion E.U. loan to Ukraine the day before, European leaders unblocked the