EIB Group Approves €7.1 Billion for Technology, Energy Security, Defence and Ukraine

The European Investment Bank Group has approved a package of €7.1 billion in new financing that marks an expansion of its role as the Union’s long-term industrial lender into strategically sensitive domains. Traditionally the EIB focused on infrastructure, climate, and cohesion, but the September 2025 decisions demonstrate how the institution is embedding defence and dual-use into its financing architecture. The allocations span European technology leadership, life sciences, energy security, and urban development, while explicitly including security and defence projects. Importantly, the measures extend beyond internal EU priorities to external engagements, notably Ukraine, where the EIB is already a central conduit for emergency reconstruction and resilience investment. This decision must be read in the broader context of the EU’s attempt to operationalise strategic autonomy by blending public guarantees, private capital mobilisation, and institutional lending under a single policy umbrella.