Today, the EU-Ukraine Defence industries Forum took place in Brussels.
The event, the first organised by the European Union (EU), was hosted by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP) Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, and Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin, with support from the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD).
The Forum focused on strengthening defence industrial cooperation between the EU and Ukraine, in view of providing sustained military support to Ukraine, also over the long term, and better addressing Ukrainian defence and industrial needs. It gathered over 400 representatives from governments, EU and Ukrainian defence industries, industry associations and key partner countries and organisations as well as EU institutions. It included a High-Level Conference and a business matchmaking segment, which offered a platform for concrete business-to-business cooperation, in particular for Small and Medium sized Enterprises.
The EU-Ukraine Defence Industries Forum is a first, concrete step in the implementation of the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS), launched in March 2024. The Forum opens the way to identify concrete cooperation initiatives, arrangements and flagship projects between the EU and Ukraine defence industries, through e.g., joint ventures. This will promote closer cooperation between defence companies and the progressive integration of the Ukrainian industry in the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), also in view of Ukraine’s accession process to the EU.
As Russia continues to wage its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU stands firm in its determination and steadfast commitment to support Ukraine with whatever it takes to prevail, in the short-term as well as for the long run. This Forum testifies to this commitment.
The EU will continue to encourage Member States to deliver more and faster military assistance to Ukraine and provide support via European Peace Facility. The EU has proposed to support joint procurement from the European defence industry (and Norway) and encourages procurement through joint ventures between the European and Ukrainian defence industry. The EU is also working towards the set-up of an EU innovation office in Kyiv.
