Investing in new solutions to counter russian aggression: Sergiy Boyev met with the Director of the NATO Innovation Fund

Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Sergiy Boyev met with John Ridge, the Director of Defence Innovation of the NATO Innovation Fund, during his inaugural visit to Kyiv. The discussion focused on mechanisms for attracting investments in Ukrainian defence companies, including the development of new solutions to counter russian aggression.

“Innovative solutions are a crucial asset for Ukraine in its fight against a significantly stronger enemy. Thus, we are prepared to embrace every opportunity for industry growth and devise new methods to counter russian aggression through innovation,” emphasised Sergiy Boyev.

During a discussion with John Ridge, the Deputy Minister outlined Ukraine's priorities in developing technologies and innovations, particularly for countering enemy guided bombs.

The parties discussed Ukraine's experience in supporting defence innovations, including organising hackathons and the activities of the Brave1 platform.

John Ridge, for his part, stated that the Fund has a capital of EUR 1 billion for 15 years to invest in technology and development. Currently, the Fund is limited to investing solely in companies from NATO member states; however, the Director expressed interest in exploring opportunities to attract investment in Ukrainian defence technologies and identifying potential avenues for cooperation.

“We recognise that Ukraine has far more experience in deploying technology on the battlefield, which is why we are focused on your developments. Receiving a message from you about the need for investment in a particular invention would indicate that the invention has proven its effectiveness and deserves our attention. We trust your expertise,” emphasised John Ridge, Director of Defence Innovation of the NATO Innovation Fund.