The European Commission and Ukraine have signed a new defence industrial partnership, marking a major step forward in the integration of the European and Ukrainian defence industries, says the Commission. The deal will enhance European Union and Ukraine cooperation in developing and manufacturing drones and counter-UAS equipment and the Commission has disbursed a further EUR 1 billion to support Ukraine’s drone capabilities under the EUR90 billion Ukraine Support Loan.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Our defence industrial partnership integrates Ukraine‘s defence economy the same way we integrate our markets: By removing barriers and aligning our standards as quickly as possible – from defence procurement to the protection of intellectual property. Allowing for a closer cooperation of our defence industries and joint ventures. Together, we are harnessing our shared industrial strength for our common security.”
The EU and Ukraine have agreed to promote the joint production of drones and counter-drone systems between Ukraine and EU Member States by the end of 2026. The agreement aims to rapidly scale up the production and deployment of battle-proven capabilities to counter drones and missiles, while providing the long-term predictability needed to strengthen investment and expand defence industrial capacity in both Ukraine and the European Union.
“This cooperation aims to protect against low- to mid-range drones and missiles, to deploy at scale battle-proven drone systems that may be stocked outside the territory of Ukraine, and to provide both defence industrial bases with the predictability needed to decisively step up investment and production,” says the Commission.
Building on this approach, the EU and Ukraine will expand their defence industrial cooperation to the joint production of anti-ballistic missiles by 2028, helping to address critical air defence capability gaps.
The new partnership will deepen the integration of the European and Ukrainian defence industries by removing barriers to cooperation and accelerating the alignment of standards. Work will advance across key areas, from defence procurement to the protection of intellectual property, enabling companies on both sides to cooperate more seamlessly and strengthen Europe’s common security.
“The EU–Ukraine Drone Deal will bring together Europe’s industrial capacity and Ukraine’s expertise in drone innovation. It is built around joint ventures between Ukrainian and European companies. The Deal will combine Ukraine’s battlefield-tested capabilities and Europe’s industrial strength and manufacturing scale, supporting targeted technology transfers and investment in dual-use sectors across Ukraine. The Deal will accelerate the development and production of next-generation drones and counter-drone systems, ensuring Ukraine has the capabilities it needs today while strengthening Europe’s defence readiness for the future.”
BraveTech EU, the joint EU–Ukraine initiative initiative to fast-track military technology for Ukraine’s defence industry also moved to its next phase by recognising six companies selected to advance promising defence technologies: Soraccel, EdgeX Robotics, Smaesh, Kova Labs, Tempterno Defence and Rannon.
In the next phase of the programme, these solutions will undergo testing under conditions reflecting the war theatre in Ukraine, thereby helping accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that respond to real battlefield needs.
Finally, Ukraine has been fully associated to the European Defence Fund (EDF) and to the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), enabling Ukrainian and EU companies to form consortia and participate together in collaborative defence research and development projects supported by the Fund. With a budget of EUR7.3 billion for 2021–2027, the EDF supports the development of cutting-edge defence capabilities and strengthens cooperation across the European defence industry.
For more information
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1624#
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